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Slaysman,  G.M.  1822-1904 
Independent  or  democratic 
'  church  government 


Bookseller, 
th  &  Walnut \ 

■     Philada. 


I^DEFEiNDENT  OR  DEMOCRATIC 

CHURCH    GOVERNMENT 


THE  DIVINEFA'  APPOINTED  CONSTITUTION  OF  THE  CHURCHES  OF 
OUR  LORD  AND  SAVIOUR  JESUS  CHRIST. 


CARSON'S    REASONS    FOR    SEPARATING    FROM    THE 
GENERAL  SYNOD  OF  ULSTER." 


ABRIDGED. 


WITH  SrCH  ALTERATIONS  AND  ADDITIONS  AS  ARE  NECEH3ART  TO  ADAPT  IT  TO 
THE  GENERAL  QUESTION  OF  CH0RCH  GOVERNMENT,  AND  THE  DEVEL- 
OPMENT OP  THE  ORDER  OF  THE  PRIMITIVE  CHURCHES. 


B  Y 

G.     M.    SLAYS  M  A  N, 

MINISTER    OF   THE   GOSPEL. 


HEAR   YE    HIM."— Matt.    xvii.    5. 


PIIILADELPHrA: 
S.  A.  GEORGE,  STEREOTYPER  AND  PRINTER, 

No.  121  NoHTii  Seventh  Street. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  j'ear  1868,  by 

G.    M.    SLAYSMAN, 

In  the  Clerk'H  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States,  iu  and  for  the 

Kastern  District  of  Pennsylvania. 


CON 


PAGE 

Preface, 7 

INTRODUCTION.— A  Brief  View  of  existing 
Church  Governments, 17 

CHAPTER  I. — Reasons  avhy  we  may  expect  to 
find  some  Form  of  Church  Government  in 
the  New  Testament, 21 

1.  Influence  of  Government  on  character,    .        .        .23 

2.  Theories  influence  their  advocates,  .        .        .        .23 

3.  The  general  sense  of  professing  Christians,     .        .     23 

4.  Unanimity  required, 23 

5.  How  may  unanimity  be  efi"ected,      .        .        .        .24 
C.  How  enforce  submission  to  Cliurch  rulers.       .        ,     25 

7.  How  avoid  confusion, 26 

8.  Importance  of  determining  Church  Government,    .  27 

9.  Legislation  requires  wisdom, 28 

10.  A  vital  question, 29 

n.  Anti-Christ  unavoidable, 29 

12.  Every  man's  manliood  must  be  recognised,     .         .  30 

CHAPTER  II. — AVhat  is  the  nature  of  that 
form  we  are  warranted  to  expect,       .        .     31 

1.  The  most  practicable, 31 

2.  That  form  which  is  capable  of  least  abuse,       .         .     32 

3 


4  CONTENTS. 

PAOB 

3.  That  form  which  is  sufficient, 34 

4.  That  form  which  does  not  need  human  expedients,      35 

5.  That  form  which  requires  most  knowledge  of  tlie 

Scriptures, 35 

6.  Tliat  form  which  most  constantly  needs  the  Divine 

presence, 36 

7.  That  f®rm  which  is  most  favorable  to  soul  liberty,  .     37 

8.  That  form  which  has  fewest  incitements  to  unhal- 

lowed ambition, 41 

9.  That  form  whose  hypotheses  are  uniform,        .         .     42 

10.  That  form  which  is  best  adapted  to  promote  the 

welfare  of  its  adherents, 43 

11,  That  form  which  most  nearly  resembles  the  simpli- 

city of  other  gospel  institutions,    .         .         .         .47 

CHAPTER    III. — The    obligation    op    apostolic 

PliACTICE 52 

1.  If  there  be  an  apostolic  model  why  not  follow  it,     .     52 

2.  General  sense  of  professing  Christiaus,    .         .         .53 
8.  No  part  of  the  Scriptures  useless,     .        .         .         .53 

4.  The  NcAV  Testament  model  the  best,        .         .         .54 

5.  No  danger  in  imitating  the  apostolic  models,  .     54 

6.  Consistency, 55 

7.  Only  a  plan  in  model  expected,        .         .         .         .55 

8.  Divine  admonition  to  Moses, 57 

9.  Presumptuous  to  depart  from  tlie  New  Testament 

models  without  divine  authority,  .         .         .57 

10.  Some  apostolic  clnirclics  models  to  others,       .         .     58 

11.  Apostolic  models  ec^ual  to  the  demands  of  every 

age, 60 


CONTENTS.  5 

PAdG 

CHAPTER  IV. — What  does  the  New  Testament 

TEACH   CONCERNING    CnURCH   GOVERNMENT,  .      G3 

1.  Rule  for  settling  private  offences  between  breth- 

ren,        64 

2.  Use  and  application  of  the  word  church,  .        .     65 

3.  Election  of  an  Apostle, 69 

4.  Election  of  Deacons, 70 

5.  The  church  scattered  by  persecution,       .        .        .71 
C.  The  first  Council  at  Jerusalem,        .        .        .        .73 

7.  The  discipline  of  the  apostolic  churches,  .        .     78 

8.  Apostolic  Hints, 85 

CHAPTER  v.— The  Order  of  Lay-ruling  El- 
ders IN  the  Presbyterian  churches,  (Luthe- 
ran, ETC.,) 88 

1.  Church  rulers  not  legislators, 90 

2.  If  rulers  then  they  are  the  Pastors,  .        .        .        .91 

3.  Can  two  orders  so  different  as  teaching  and  ruhng 

Elders  be  called  by  tlie  same  name,      .        .        .93 

4.  Can  their  qualifications  be  included  in  the  same  de- 

scription,        94 

5.  All  Elders  worthy  of  maintenance,  ...     96 

6.  But  one  order  of  Elders, 97 


CHAPTER  VI. — Objections  answered. 

1.  "Too  many  sects  already," 

2.  "Danger  of  skepticism," 

8.  "Governing  bodies  preservative,"  . 
4.  "  Hierarchies  have  done  much  good," 


104 
104 
105 
107 
109 


CONTENTS, 


CHAPTER  VII. — Reasons  why   some  are  apt  to 

CONCLUDE   THAT    THERE  IS  NO   MODEL  OP  ChURCH 

Government  in  the  New  Testament. 

1.  They  do  not  look  after  it, 

2.  Jewish  model,  . 

3.  Custom  or  habit  of  thought, 

4.  A  systematic  plan  expected, 

5.  Model  given  indirectly,     . 


112 
'112 
113 
113 
114 
117 


CHAPTER  VIII. — Uninspired  description  of  the 
Apostolic  Churches, 119 

1.  Government  Independent  or  Democratic,  by  John 

Lawrence  Mosheim,  D.D., 119 

2.  Membership  voluntary,   by   John  Lawrence    Mo- 

sheim, D.D., 126 

3.  Membership  Converted  and  Government  Indepen- 

dent, by  Wm.  Carpenter,  M.  A.,  .        .        .127 


CHAPTER    IX. — The  only  universal  brother- 
hood  131 


PREFACE. 


The  author  of  this  vokime  in  its  present  form,  has  not 
attempted  any  thing  new  or  original.  Having  read 
"Carson's  Reasons  fok  separating  from  the 
General  Synod  of  Ulster,"  he  has  been  profoundly 
impresse'd  with  their  force.  Though  designed  to  enforce 
the  Independent  form  of  church  government,  as  scriptu- 
ral, in  opposition  to  the  Presbyterian  form,  his  argu- 
ments are  equally  apx)licable,  and  conclusive  against 
every  other  National  or  Hierarchical  system  of  church 
order.  With  this  view  he  has  abridged  the  work  of  Dr. 
Carson,  leaving  out  that  part  of  it  which  has  a  local 
bearing — referring  to  the  Synod  of  Ulster  and  the  Presby- 
terian Church  in  Ireland.  He  has  endeavored  to  repro- 
duce the  arguments  of  Dr.  Carson,  using  his  language 
when  by  so  doing  the  issue  would  not  be  affected,  adding 
such  arguments  and  suggestions  as  the  present  state  of  the 
question  seemed  to  demand.  As  some  of  the  Hierar- 
chies are  Presbyterian  in  their  form  of  government,  he 
has  retained  the  chapter  on  Euling  or  Lay  Elders,  set- 
ting out  this  peculiar  branch  of  the  subject  more  fully, 
by  quotations  from  a  leading  minister  and  teacher  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  and  more  fully  meeting  the  issue 
these  quotations  present.  That  these  arguments  might 
find  some  support  outside  of  his  own  denomination,  a 
chapter  is  added  containing  Mosheim's  description  of 
the  apostolic  churches,  and  another,  found  in  the  "  Sur- 

7 


8  PREFACE. 

PLEMENT    TO    THE    COMPllEHENSIVE  COMMENTARY," 

with  the  sanction  of  William  Jenks,  D.D  : — the  former 
from  a  Lutheran  or  Hierarchical,  the  latter  from  a  Con- 
gregational or  Independent  stand-point.  In  compliance 
with  the  expressed  wishes  of  beloved  brethren,  whose 
judgments  he  holds  in  high  estimation,  who  asked  its  pub- 
lication, he  has  introduced  as  a  closing  chapter,  a  ser- 
mon entitled  "  the  only  Universal  Brotherhood," 
rewritten  and  prepared,  as  a  sequel  t'o  the  arguments  and 
history  which  precede  it,  and  designed  to  give  a  descrip- 
tion of  the  apostolic  churches  in  their  essential  charac- 
teristics, and  also,  a  vieAv  of  the  peculiarities  of  the  Bap- 
tist churches,  as  the  only  representatives  of  the  apostolic 
models. 

There  are  valid  objections  against  publishing  Dr.  Car- 
son's work,  as  it  is,  in  this  country  ;  much  of  it  is  local, 
and  while  its  local  references  were  justifiable  when  it  was 
first  published  (1805),  would  not  now  be  applicable  even 
in  Ireland.  There  are  no  Presbyterian  Churches,  Minis- 
ters, or  Synods,  now,  as  to  moral  character  and  integrity 
in  what  are  termed  fundamental  doctrines,  such  as  Dr. 
Carson  describes  ;  and  to  publish  a  work  at  this  time, 
chiefly  against  that  denomination,  with  descriptions  ap- 
plicable half  a  century  ago,  but  not  now  applicable,  would 
be  manifestly  itnjust.  The  only  justification  of  its  pub- 
lication, entire,  at  the  present  time,  would  be  to  show 
the  legitimate  tendency  of  Infant  Baptism,  to  produce 
just  such  a  state  of  things  as  Carson  describes,  where 
there  is  no  counteracting  influence — as  one  of  a  series,  to 
show  that  Infant  Baptism  is  the  prolific  parent  of  evils 
whose  name  is  legion. 

But  it  would  be  criminal  to  permit  the  weighty  and 
solid  arguments  of  Dr.  Carson,  directly  applicable  to 
church  government,  to  remain  thus  longer  in  obscurity, 
and  inaccessible  to  tlie  people  whose  manhood  is  so  com- 
pletely involved  in  the  question.    In  the  present  state 


PREFACE.  9 

of  church  agitation,  the  great  question  at  the  bottom  of 
all,  is,  the  3IANH00D  OF  EVERY  CHRISTIAN.  Yea, 
both  in  church,  and  state,  the  great  question  of  the  age, 
is,  the  3IAN1I00D  OF  EVERY  MAN  ;  and  every  thing  that 
will  throw  light  upon  it,  and  aid  the  people  in  reaching 
just  conclusions  in  reference  to  their  proper  position  in 
government,  and  especially  in  church  government,  it  is 
their  right  to  have,  and  the  duty  of  those  who  are  quali- 
fied, to  give. 

The  particular  copy  of  the  work  used  in  the  prepara- 
tion of  this  volume  the  author  received  from  a  son  of 
one  who  had  been  a  member  of  the  church  at  Tubermore, 
Ireland.  This  son,  now  nearly  three-score  and  ten  years 
old,  was  sprinkled  in  infancy  by  Dr.  Carson,  and,  it  is 
said,  was  the  last  infant  he  ever  sprinkled.*  The  high 
esteem  in  which  he  was  held  by  the  family  is  indicated 
by  the  fact  that  this  infant  was  named  "Alexander 
Carson" — after  their  beloved  Pastor. 

In  the  "Memoir  of  Dr.  Carson,"  we  are  informed 
that  a  party  of  men,  organized  for  the  purpose,  came 
into  the  meeting-house  while  he  was  preaching,  and  an- 
nounced their  intention  of  thrusting  him  from  the  pul- 
pit :  he  requested  them  to  wait  till  he  had  finished  his 
discourse,  assuring  them  that  he  would  then  voluntarily 
retire.  "After  the  service  was  concluded,  as  he  de- 
scended from  the  pulpit  and  was  passing  out,  one  of  his 
deacons  lifted  the  Bible  from  the  desk,  swung  it  upon 
his  shoulders,  and  taking  up  his  march  in  the  rear  of 
his  pastor,  exclaimed,  ^  Let  all  icho  ivish  to  folloiu  the 
JJibJc^  come  this  tea?/.'  The  father  of  the  above-named 
infant,  it  is  said,  was  that  deacon,  and  very  properly, 

*■  A  common,  but  most  absurd  phraseology ;  for  it  makes  Dr.  Car- 
son, or  any  other  person  in  the  same  connection,  to  have  scattered 
the  infant  in  particles.  Yet  the  author  cannot  conscientiously  say 
baptized,  and  this  is  his  apology  for  using  a  phraseology  so  unphilo- 
logical,  though  common  and  well  understood. 


10  PREFACE. 

was  that  the  last  infant  upon  whom  that  great  and  good 
man  sprinkled  water  in  the  name  of  the  Holy  Trinity. 
If  the  Bible  was  henceforth  to  be  followed,  both  Dr.  Car- 
son and  Deacon  James  McCurdy  must  forever  abandon 
a  practice  which  is  not  to  be  found  within  its  sacred 
pages.  Deacon  (afterwards  Elder)  McCurdy,  subse- 
quently emigrated  to  Pennsylvania,  and  preached  the 
gospel  with  considerable  success  in  the  lower  end  of 
Lancaster  and  York  counties.  Quite  a  number  of  be- 
lievers were  baptized  by  him,  in  a  pool  of  water  col- 
lected in  one  of  the  slate  quarries  in  which  he  labored. 
He  died  A.D.  1826.  Six  children  survived  him,  three 
sons  and  three  daughters,  who,  with  their  children, 
many  of  whom  have  reached  maturity,  are  among  the 
most  respectable  and  influential  families  in  the  commu- 
nity in  which  they  reside." 

In  the  same  Memoir,  page  30,  there  is  an  interesting 
incident  illustrating  the  character  of  Dr.  Carson's  heroic 
wife.  When  her  father,  a  wealthy  linen  bleacher,  urged 
the  poverty  to  which  their  course  exposed  them — as- 
sured them  that  their  children  would  starve,  and  that 
he  would  never  relieve  them  if  they  did  not  come  back 
to  the  Presbyterian  church — she  replied  :  "  Father,  God 
feeds  the  young  ravens  when  they  cry  unto  him  ;  and  I 
cannot  believe  that  while  we  are  striving  to  do  his  will, 
he  will  let  the  young  Carsons  suffer."  Another  inci- 
dent, conununicated  to  the  author  by  this  family,  illus- 
trating her  firm  adherence  to  principle,  is  worthy  of 
permanent  record.  When  Dr.  Carson  consulted  her 
concerning  the  step  he  was  about  to  take,  and  the  sacri- 
fice it  involved,  her  reply  to  him  was,  "Do  not  gag 
your  mouth  nor  clog  your  conscience  for  money." 

The  deep-toned  piety,  strong  faith,  and  firm  adhe- 
rence to  principle  which  characterized  Carson,  arc  illus- 
trated by  the  closing  sections  of  his  work.  In  separating 
from  the  Presbyterian  Church,  there  was  no  other  body 


PREFACE.  11 

in  that  neighborhood  with  which  he  could  unite.  With 
his  views  of  truth  and  duty,  he  must  stand  ahnost  alone, 
with  the  greater  part  of  the  community  against  him. 
Tlie  objections  urged  against  his  course  were,  therefore, 
all  the  more  forcible.  It  was  said  that  by  leaving  the 
Synod  "he  would  give  up  an  important  station,  cow- 
ardly desert  the  field  of  battle,  and  in  all  probability 
deprive  himself  forever  of  an  opportunity  of  preaching 
the  gospel.  That  Paul  had  said,  '  Woe  is  me,  if  I  preach 
not  the  gospel ;'  and  Christ,  that  '  The  harvest  is  plen- 
teous, and  the  laborers  few.'  That  it  must,  then,  be 
highly  improper  to  leave  a  ripe  harvest  without  laborers 
to  reap  it." 

To  this  he  answers  :  "  What  is  the  amount  of  this 
objection  ?  It  is,  'to  do  evil  that  good  may  come.'  If 
I  have  shown  that  such  a  connection  is  sinful,  no  sup- 
posed advantages  resulting  to  religion  from  it  should 
have  the  smallest  weight,  because  they  are  nothing  in 
reality.  What  good  could  I  do  in  any  situation  on  earth 
without  God's  blessing  upon  my  labors  ?  And  is  it  sup- 
posable  that  I  am  likely  to  have  this  blessing,  when  I 
refuse  to  obey  him  ?  Before  m}^  attention  was  turned  to 
this  subject,  when  my  views  were  not  so  clear,  God 
might  have  partially  blessed  my  labors.  But  I  could  no 
longer  look  for  a  blessing,  nor,  with  a  good  conscience, 
preach  the  gospel  at  all,  while  conscious  that  I  was  not 
complying  with  his  will.  'I  leave  an  important  situa- 
tion.' W^hat  sort  of  language,  in  the  mouth  of  a 
Christian,  is  that  ?  If  I  had  an  opportunity  of  preach- 
ing the  gospel  in  every  parish  in  the  island,  could  I,  of 
myself,  call  one  sinner  to  repentance  ?  A  station  is 
only  important  as  there  may  be  the  probability  of  doing 
good ;  and  I  can  see  no  probability  of  this,  as  long  as 
we  live  in  the  wilful  neglect,  or  l)reach  of  the  least  part 
of  the  known  will  of  God.  Ah  !  friends,  I  am  afraid  if 
we  search  our  hearts  to  the  ])ottom,  the  real  motive  of 


12  PREFACE. 

remaining  in  corrupt  churches,  is  rather  the  importance 
of  it  to  our  own  temporal  interests,  than  a  concern  lest 
the  work  of  the  Lord  should  stand  undone.  '  Sirs,  ye 
know  that  by  this  craft  we  have  our  gain. '  But,  '  I  am 
running  as  a  coward  out  of  the  field  of  battle.'  I^o,  I 
am  only  repairing  to  the  standard  of  my  captain,  and 
deserting  his  enemies.  I  am  only  putting  myself  in  a 
situation  in  which  I  can  fight  without  restraint  ;  and 
whether  I  am  to  be  an  officer  or  a  private,  must  be  left 
to  my  general,  who  employs  every  man  in  the  situation 
that  suits  him  best,  and  in  which  he  can  render  the 
most  effectual  service.  But,  '  Is  it  not  a  sin  for  me  to 
put  myself  out  of  a  condition  to  preach  the  gospel  ?' 
Yes,  if  I  would  give  up  preaching  for  the  most  splendid 
throne  in  Europe,  I  would  be  unworthy  of  opening  my 
mouth  to  proclaim  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation.  If  I 
would  quit  my  station  for  the  sake  of  a  little  more  of 
the  unrighteous  mammon,  I  would  be  inexcusable.  If  I 
would  quit  preaching  for  fear  of  man,  'woe  would  be 
upon  me. '  But  if  I  quit  a  station  by  the  command  of 
my  general,  I  am  not  to  blame." 

"  But  '  the  harvest  is  great,  and  the  laborers  are  few.' 
True,  very  true  ;  and  what  is  the  consequence  ?  Is  it, 
that  I  must  transgress  the  orders  of  Christ  to  reap  the 
harvest?  Is  there  no  way  of  obeying  one  command 
without  breaking  another?  Put  the  objection  into 
words,  and  it  will  run  thus  :  '  O  Lord,  thou  hast  a  great 
harvest,  and  fetu  to  reap  it.  I  am  an  active  young  la- 
borer, hut  I  cannot  serve  thee  unless  tUou  alloivest  me  to 
break  one  of  thy  commandments.  It  is  but  a  little  one,  and 
it  is  much  better  for  thee  to  give  me  this  liberty,  than  to  want 
my  services,  for  thou  canst  not  do  well  without  me.  Thou 
must  either  take  me  on  these  terms,  or  thou  must  lose  thy 
grain  /'  Were  I  to  reason  and  act  thus,  the  Lord  of  the 
harvest  could  soon  lay  me  aside,  and  let  me  see  he  could 
have  the  work  done  without  me.    It  is  for  us  to  do  what 


PREFACE.  13 

is  duty,  and  leave  events  to  God.  If  he  has  any  work 
to  do  at  present  in  Ireland,  I  am  sure  I  am  taking  the 
way  to  do  it.  If  he  has  work  to  do,  who  is  he  most 
likely  to  employ  as  his  instruments  ?  Will  he  let  me 
stand  idle  in  the  market-place,  and  employ  others  to 
serve  him,  whose  sole  object  is  to  serve  themselves  V  If 
it  be  my  supreme  delight  to  win  souls  to  Christ,  I  do  not 
think  I  shall  be  disappointed.  If  it  be  in  any  measure 
my  meat  and  drink  to  do  his  will,  it  is  not  likely  he  will 
refuse  to  give  me  employment.  'And  whatever  we  ask, 
we  receive  of  him,  because  we  keep  his  commandments, 
and  do  those  things  that  are  pleasing  in  his  &ight. '  '  He 
that  loveth  me,  keepeth  my  commandments. '  '  Follow 
me,  and  I  will  make  you  fishers  of  men. '  '  Ye  are  my 
friends  if  ye  do  whatsoever  I  command  you. '  'And  why 
call  ye  me  Lord,  Lord,  and  do  not  the  things  which  I 
say  V  " 

"No  argument,"  he  continues,  "has  been  more  fre- 
quently used  to  reconcile  me  to  the  Synod,  than  'the 
duty  I  owe  my  ftimily. '  '  He  that  provideth  not  for  his 
own,  especially  for  those  of  his  own  household,  hath 
denied  the  faith,  and  is  worse  than  an  infidel. '  I  ac- 
knowledge the  obligation  of  this  scripture,  in  its  fullest 
extent.  But  am  I  obliged  to  neglect  one  duty  by  attend- 
ing to  another?  I  am  to  provide  for  my  family; 
but,  will  any  say,  I  am  to  rob  and  murder  to  support 
them  ?  I  am  to  provide,  but  it  is  things  that  are  lawful. 
I  am  not  to  support  them  at  the  expense  of  a  good  con- 
science. If  I  cannot  trust  my  family  upon  God,  how 
will  I  trust  him  with  my  soul  ?  He  has  not  only  said, 
'He  that  provideth  not,  etc.,'  but  he  has  also  said, 
'  Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteous- 
ness, and  all  these  things  shall  be  added  unto  you.'  I 
must  either  renounce  the  sixth  chapter  of  Matthew,  or 
I  must  do  my  duty,  and  trust  myself  and  ftimily  to  him 
who  feeds  the  fowls  of  the  air,  and  clothes  the  lilies  of 


14  PREFACE, 

tiie  field.  He  that  feeds  his  enemies,  will  not  suffer  his 
friends  to  starve.  AVith  what  conscience  could  I  press 
others  to  trust  in  Providence,  when  I  distrusted  him 
myself?  AVhen  I  read  the  history  of  Aristides,  the 
Athenian,  and  many  other  Pagan  sages,  who  scorned 
riches  for  earthly  fame,  I  am  ashamed  that  the  glories 
of  heaven,  and  the  love  of  Jesus,  should  have  a  slighter 
impression  on  me.  Cyrus  was  fed  on  brown  bread  and 
cresses,  to  fit  him  for  a  consummate  general ;  and  shall 
I  think  it  a  grievance,  to  submit  to  that  discipline,  to 
enable  me  more  successfully  to  fight  the  battles  of  my 
Lord  ?  I  must  '  endure  hardness  as  a  good  soldier  of 
Jesus  Christ.'  Perhaps  there  never  was  a  general  of 
distinction,  who  has  not  undergone  more  hardships, 
fatigues,  Avants,  and  dangers,  to  procure  temporal  glory, 
than  I  have  any  prospect  of  in  my  more  honorable  war- 
fare. '  Kow  they  do  it  for  a  corruptible  crow^n,  but  we 
for  an  incorruptible.'  A  few  years  hence,  and  all  my 
wants  and  sorrows  shall  be  no  more.  I  will  be  wdiere 
'  the  wicked  cease  from  troubling,  and  the  weary  are  at 
rest.'  '  They  that  are  wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness 
of  the  firmament,  and  they  that  turn  many  unto  right- 
eousness, as  the  stars  forever  and  ever. ' 

"  '  And  must  I  part  with  all  I  have, 
My  dearest  Lord,  for  thee? 
It  is  but  right,  since  thou  hast  done 
Much  more  than  this  for  me. 

*  Yes,  let  it  go  :  one  look  from  thee, 
Will  more  than  make  amends 
For  all  the  losses  I  sustain, 
Of  honor,  riches,  friends. 

'Ten  thousand  worlds,  ten  thousand  lives. 
How  worthless  they  appear, 
Compared  with  thee,  suj)remcly  good, 
Divinely  bright  and  fair  ! 


PREFACE.  15 

*  Saviour  of  souls  !  could  I  from  thee 
A  single  smile  obtain, 
Though  destitute  of  all  things  else, 
I'd  glory  in  my  gain.' " 

May  all  who  read  this  vohime,  possess  the  spirit  illus- 
trated by  the  foregoing  quotations. 

G.  M.  S. 

YoKK,  May  31,  1868. 


,REC..II!N188I 

INTRODUCTION. 


A  BRIEF    VIEW  OF    EXISTING    CHURCH   GOVERNMENTS. 

Church  Governments  are  divided  into  two 
classes:    Hierarchical,  and   Independent. 

The  Hierarchical,  embraces  the  following  bo- 
dies : — The  Greek  Church,  The  Roman  Catholic 
Church,  The  Church  of  England,  The  Lutheran 
Church,  The  German  Reformed  Church,  The 
Dutch  Reformed  Church,  The  Protestant  Epis- 
copal Church,  The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
The  Methodist  Protestant  Church,  The  Presby- 
terian Church,  The  Moravian  Church,  The 
Evangelical  Association,  The  Church  of  God, 
(  Wbiebrennerians,)  The  United  Brethern  Church. 
Each  of  these  bodies  or  churches,  is  itself  a  Hier- 
archy, and  ditfers,  in  some  respects,  from  all  the 
others.  The  same  general  principle,  distinguishes 
all  of  them  : — The  power  or  government  is  in  the 
officers   of    the   body;    and   is   exercised    by   a 

Pope,  a  Patriarch,  an  Emperor,  King,  or  Queen  ; 

17 


18  INTRODUCTION. 

a  General  Council,  Convention,  Conference,  or 
Synod ;  a  Classis,  a  Presbytery,  a  Conference,  a 
Synod,  or  an  Eldership ;  in  the  local  congregation 
— which  is  but  a  part  of  the  whole  body — by  a 
Yestr}^,  a  Session,  a  Consistory, a  Church  Council, 
or  a  Quarterly  Conference. 

The  Independent,  includes  the  Baptist,  and  the 
Congregational  churches.  The  principle  which 
distinguishes    this    class    may    be    expressed    as 

follows  : — To  THE  PEOPLE,  THE  MEMBERSHIP,  WHICH 
CONSTITUTE    EACH    LOCAL    CHURCH,    BELONGS   ALL    THE 

POWER  THE  Lord  Jesus  Christ  has  committed  to 

HIS  PEOPLE,  AND  IS  ALWAYS  LIMITED  TO  THE  PAR- 
TICULAR   BODY   WITH   W^HICH    THEY    ARE    CONNECTED. 

The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  their  only  Head.  "Head 
OVER  ALL."  The  rights,  duties  and  powers  of 
each  member,  and  of  each  local  church,  being  in- 
alienable, they  have  no  earthly  ruler  or  head,  no 
General  Councils,  Conventions,  Assemblies,  Con- 
ferences, Synods,  or  other  Legislative,  Judicial,  or 
Executive  bodies,  to  which  their  rights,  duties,  or 
powers  are,  or  may  be  delegated. 

In  observing  the  great  difference  between  these 
two  classes,  and  the  peculiar,  and  sometimes  im- 
portant, difference  between  the  several  Hierarchical 
bodies,  we  are  ready  to  ask :  Do  all  these  churches 
find  their  peculiar  forms  of  church  government  in 


INTRODUCTION.  19 

the  New  Testament  ?  Have  they  all,  thus  different 
and  often  antagonistic,  the  Divine  Sanction  ?  Or, 
as  some  teach,  is  there  no  form  of  Church  Govern- 
ment prescribed  in  the  Scriptures  ?  Has  the  all- 
wise  God  left  his  people,  his  "  ecclesia,"  without  a 
government,  allowing  each  body  or  people  to 
make,  or  adopt  such  a  form,  as  may  accord  with 
their  notions  of  what  is  necessary  or  expedient  ? 

The  author,  in  common  with  those  who  hold 
the  principles  which  distinguish  the  Independent 
CHURCHES,  believes  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  has 
prescribed  a  government  for  his  churches,  complete 
in  all  its  parts  ;  and  that  the  New  Testament  reveals 
what  that  government  is ;  that  it  is  Independent, 
and  not  Hierarchical;  and  to  a  patient  examination 
of  the  evidence  which  sustains  these  propositions, 
he  would  invite  the  reader's  prayerful  and  candid 
attention. 


CHAPTER  I. 

REASONS  WHY  WE  MAY  EXPECT  TO  FIND  SOME  FORM  OF 
CHURCH  GOVERNMENT  IN   THE    NEW  TESTAMENT. 

We  are  not  arrogantly  to  prescribe  to  God  what 
he  must  reveal ;  our  conclusions  upon  what  is 
proper  to  be  revealed,  must  be  determined  by  a 
candid  inspection  of  the  sacred  volume  itself.  It 
is  not  uncommon  for  persons  to  decide  in  favor  of 
a  particular  church,  or  doctrine,  or  duty,  or  Church 
Government,  without  an  investigation  of  the  Scrip- 
tures. When  they  open  the  sacred  volume,  it  is 
not  to  carefully  and  candidly  examine  what  it 
teaches,  but  expecting  and  determined  to  find 
therein  their  own  favorite  system.  We  are  not 
warranted  to  conclude  with  certainty  that  there  is 
a  model  of  Church  Government  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, till  we  prove  it  from  itself,  yet  tliere  are 
reasons  which  render  it  probable,  which,  when 
considered,  will  animate  us  in  our  search,  indur  • 
us  to  collect  the  evidence,  and  prepare  us  to  re- 
ceive with  gratitude,  the  pattern  the  Scriptures 
afford,  even  though  it  may  be  scanty.  It  would 
seem  that  there  is  an  evident  necessity  for  scrip- 
tural direction  on  this  subject.  There  are  strong 
antecedent  reasons  to  expect  that  the  New  Testa- 
ment will  contain  the  model  of  the  Apostolic 
churches  for  our  direction. 

21 


22  INDEPENDENT    OR   DEMOCRATIC 

1.    INFLUENCE    OF   GOVERNMENT    ON    CHARACTER. 

Human  manners  are  much  affected  by  the  differ- 
ences of  civil  governments.  The  genius  of  the 
constitution  gives  a  turn  to  general  manners  and 
modes  of  thinking.  Nations  have  their  character- 
istic habits  and  modes  of  thought,  which  the 
philosopher  can  trace  to  this  source.  That  the 
same  influence  is  exerted  by  different  forms  of 
Church  Government  is  unquestionable.  This  in- 
fluence may  not  be  discernible  in  a  comparison  of 
two  individual  Christians  trained  under  different 
systems  of  Church  Government,  but  will  be  easily 
seen  when  the  members  under  the  different  forms 
are  compared  in  a  mass.  The  government  that  is 
most  spiritual  will  unavoidably  communicate  a 
tincture  of  its  spirit  to  the  mass  of  its  subjects. 
Now  if  the  form  of  Church  Government  be,  in  the 
smallest  degree,  influential  of  human  conduct  and 
character,  it  is  not  to  be  conceived  that  our  Lord 
would  leave  it  entirely  to  human  discretion. 

2.    THEORIES   INFLUENCE    THEIR   ADVOCATES. 

The  different  theories  which  have  been  adopted 
on  the  subject  of  Church  Government  have  materi- 
ally influenced  the  sentiments  of  their  respective 
advocates,  not  only  in  the  explanation  of  passages 
of  Scripture  immediately  applicable,  but  also  of 
many  in  which  they  are  not  under  the  influence  of  a 
party  spirit.  All  scripture  truths  have  a  mutual 
connection,  and  it  will  often,  inevitably,  happen, 
that  adopting  a  wrong  theory  on  one  point,  will 
lead  to  other  mistakes  in  the  interpretation  of  the 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  23 

Scriptures,  or  hide  from  us  the  true  iinalysis.  If, 
therefore,  a  difference  of  opinion  on  this  subject 
affects  the  explanation  of  other  passages  of  Scrip- 
ture, there  is,  besides  its  own  importance,  an 
additional  reason,  why  God  should  interpose  for 
our  direction. 

3.    THE  GENERAL   SENSE  OF  PROFESSING    CHRISTIANS. 

The  general  sense  of  professing  Christians  in  all 
ages,  argues  the  necessit}'  of  scriptural  direction  on 
this  point.  This  argument  is  used  with  success,  in 
favor  of  revelation,  and  there  is  no  reason  why  it 
should  not  have  its  full  weight  here.  The  mass  of 
professing  Christians  have,  in  all  ages,  supposed 
that  they  have  found,  at  least,  the  groundwork  of 
their  respective  plans  in  the  Scriptures  (when  was 
the  divine  right  given  up  ?).  Is  not  the  same 
moral  sense  of  the  mass  of  professing  Christians 
still  satisfied  that  the  groundwork  of  their  respec- 
tive systems  is  in  the  sacred  volume  ?  This,  there- 
fore, is  another  reason  wh}^  we  may  expect  divine 
revelation  to  settle  the  questions  at  issue. 

4.    UNANIMITY    REQUIRED. 

Either  unanimity  on  this  point  is  not  a  duty,  or 
the  New  Testament  must  afford  us  the  means  of 
effecting  it.  The  prayer  of  Jesus  (John  xvii.  21- 
23)  for  the  oneness  of  his  disciples,  sufficiently 
indicates  tlie  dut}'  of  unanimity  in  all  things, 
among  his  people.  We  ma}'  sa}-  that  perfect 
unanimity  is  not  to  be  expected  in  this  world.  But 
this  is  not  the  fault  of  revelation,  but  of  our  re- 


24         INDErENDENT  OR  DEMOCRATIC 

maining  corruptions  and  blindness.  There  can  be 
nothing  a  duty  that  is  not  revealed.  Our  differ- 
ences in  the  minutest  things  of  religion  are  owing 
to  ourselves,  and  not  to  a  want  of  Scripture  direc- 
tion. We  cannot  reach  this  so  plainl}^  required 
unanimity,  but  by  proposing  self-evident  truths, 
or  the  authority  of  God  in  revelation.  That  the 
form  of  Church  Government  does  not  belong  to 
self-evident  truths,  is  sufficiently  evident  from  ex- 
perience ;  it  must,  therefore,  be  a  subject  of  reve- 
lation. But  unanimity  on  this  point  is,  consequen- 
tiall}^,  of  more  importance  than  on  many  others,  of 
more  intrinsic  importance.  On  many  other  points, 
if  Christians  have  differences  of  opinion,  they 
have  them  to  themselves  ;  on  this,  their  differences 
affect  each  other.  One  must  submit  to  be  ruled  by 
the  opinion  of  his  neighbor,  by  a  Church  Govern- 
ment he  thinks  Christ  did  not  appoint,  or  his 
neighbor  must  submit  to  him ;  or  they  must  form 
different  sects,  which  is  evidently  contrar}-  to 
divine  authority.  To  secure  this  unanimit}^,  and 
prevent  the  evil  effects  of  division,  on  a  point  in 
which  our  differences  affect  each  other,  we  may 
reasonably  expect  divine  direction. 

5.    HOW  MAY    UNANIMITY  BE  EFFECTED  ? 

Will  there  ever  be  a  da}-  when  all  sects  shall 
coalesce  ?  We  cannot  doubt  this.  Without  it  we 
cannot  have  that  perfect  liarmou}^  the  Scriptures, 
with  the  general  consent  of  professing  Christians, 
give  us  reason  to  expect.  Discrepancy  on  this 
point    is    too    great    to    be    consistent   with   the 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  25 

"increase  of  knowledge"  of  the  "latter  days.'" 
But  is  this  to  be  effected  by  a  new  revelation,  or  by 
a  more  plentiful  effusion  of  the  Spirit  upon  Chris- 
tians, and  greater  attention  to  the  will  of  God  as 
now  revealed  ?  Is  there  any  other  way  in  which' 
revelation  can  effect  this  union,  but  by  giving  us  a 
model  or  direction  on  this  point  ?  It  is  not  sup- 
posable  that  the  want  of  a  model  or  direction  on 
this  point  in  the  Scriptures,  would  be  the  means 
of  uniting  all  Christians.  For  if  there  be  no  model 
or  direction  in  the  Scriptures,  nnanimity  or  uni- 
formity is  not  a  duty.  This  would  be  saying  that 
the  opinion,  that  union  is  not  a  duty,  would  effect 
union.  Never  would  there  be  greater  variety,  than 
when  this  notion  should  prevail.  To  effect  union 
on  this  supposition,  it  would  seem  necessary  to 
enlarge  the  powers  of  the  mind  beyond  what  has 
ever  appeared  in  man.  The  sublimest  geniuses  on 
earth  have  their  differences  of  opinion  on  every 
thing  but  self-evident  truths.  But  to  effect  union 
in  this  manner,  is  derogatory  both  to  revelation 
and  the  office  of  the  Hoty  Spirit.  There  must, 
therefore,  be  a  model  and  direction,  and  we  may 
expect  to  find  it  in  the  New  Testament. 

6.    HOW    ENFORCE    OBEDIENCE    TO    CHURCH    RULERS? 

There  cannot  be  that  prompt,  cheerful,  and  duti- 
ful obedience  to  church  rulers,  if  the  model  and 
laws  of  a  church  l)e  not  in  the  New  Testament.  If 
church  rulers  have  discretionary  power  to  enact  or 
execute  laws,  they  ma}^  abuse  that  power,  and  there- 
fore their  decrees  must  be  received  with  examina- 
3 


26  INDEPENDENT    OR   DEMOCRATIC 

tion  and  caution.  Thus,  there  will  be  a  difference 
of  opinion  with  regard  to  their  propriety ;  and,  at 
all  events,  the  conviction  of  the  duty  of  obedience 
^ill  be  more  slowly  and  circuitously  obtained. 
This  will  gradually  introduce  either  a  spirit  of  dis- 
obedience, or  of  abject  servility  among  church 
members.  They  will  be  led,  either  to  slight  the 
authority  of  church  judicatories,  or  receive  their 
dictates  with  slavish  submission.  Thc}^  will  be  ei- 
ther the  slaves  or  dupes  of  church  rulers,  receiving 
the  decrees  of  ecclesiastical  assemblies  as  the  dic- 
tates of  heaven :  or  they  will  make  light  of  their 
authorit}^,  and  despise  it.  Complete,  unequivocal, 
cheerful,  and  conscientious  obedience,  is  to  be  found 
onh^  among  those  who  dare  not  command  without 
opening  their  commission,  and  appealing  to  the 
laws,  to  which  they  enforce  obedience.  Here,  there 
is  no  room,  either  for  disobedience,  on  the  one 
hand,  or  slavish  submission,  on  the  other.  Church 
members,  when  the  model  and  laws  of  a  church  are 
in  the  .New  Testament,  see  clearly  whether  they  are 
obe3ang  God  or  man.  Divine  direction  is  therefore 
necessar}^ 

1.    HOW    AVOID    CONFUSION  ? 

Either  all  forms  of  Church  Government  are  alike 
calculated  to  promote  edification,  or,  if  one  be  better 
than  another,  that  which  is  best  will  be  so  evident, 
that  all  Christians  will  readil}^  agree  in  it,  or  the 
New  Testament  must  afford  us  sufficient  means  to 
discover  it ;  otherwise  it  is  deficient.  No  one  will 
believe  that  all  forms  are  alike  calculated  to  pro- 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  2t 

mote  edification,  nor  can  any  one  believe  the  New 
Testament  to  be  deficient.  In  the  same  times,  in 
the  same  city,  we  find  almost  all  varieties  of  Church 
Government,  that  have  existed  in  times  and  coun- 
tries most  remote.  Now,  if  it  be  a  matter  of  im- 
portance to  adopt  one  form  rather  than  another, 
and  if  the  children  of  the  same  family,  as  well  as 
the  inhabitants  of  the  same  city,  will  differ  in  their 
views  on  this  subject,  it  would  appear  to  be  a  matter 
worthy  of  divine  interference.  If  there  be  no 
divine  model  or  direction,  is  not  God  to  blame  for 
all  the  variety  of  sects,  occasioned  by  this  differ- 
ence of  sentiment  ?  If  we  are  left  to  our  own 
judgment  and  prudence,  there  can  be  no  sin  in 
using  them :  and  a  variety  of  sects  is  the  unavoid- 
able consequence.  We  may  expect,  therefn'e, 
divine  direction,  in  order  to  avoid  difference  and 
confusion. 

8.  IMPORTANCE  OP  DETERMINING  CHURCH 
GOVERNMENT. 

Whatever  is  left  to  human  discretion  in  religion, 
is  of  such  a  nature,  that  there  is  no  room  for  the 
weakest  Christian  to  err,  nor  the  least  foundation  to 
dispute ;  nor  would  the  smallest  advantage  have 
accrued  to  the  people  of  God,  by  having  those 
things  determined,  which  are  left  undefined ;  but, 
on  the  contrary,  such  a  determination  would  have 
been  attended  with  inconveniences.  Such,  for  in- 
stance, are  the  times  for  meeting  for  public  wor- 
ship on  the  Lord's  day,  the  order  of  the  services, 
etc.     Who  ever   complained  that   these   were  not 


28  INDEPENDENT    OR   DEMOCRATIC 

coufinecl  ?  Would  it  have  been  of  any  advantage 
to  Christians,  that  Christ  had  appointed  certain 
hours  for  public  worship  ?  Nay,  would  hot  this  ha^e 
been  attended  with  many  inconveniences  ?  But  it  is 
quite  otherwise  with  Church  Grovernment.  The  de- 
termination of  this  would  have  been  attended  with 
no  inconvenience,  but  with  many  important  advan- 
tages. The  leaving  of  it  undetermined  would  give 
unavoidable  occasion  to  dissension  and  schism,  and 
thus,  instead  of  being  the  author  of  order  in  the 
churches,  God  would  be  "  the  author  of  confusion." 
We  may  expect,  therefore,  to  find  a  divine  model 
in  the  New  Testament. 

9.    LEGISLATION   REQUIRES  WISDOM. 

Civil  government  and  legislation  require  the 
highest  exertion  of  human  genius,  and  the  greatest 
men  who  have  written  on  the  subject,  are  by  no 
means  agreed,  even  in  theory,  what  is  the  form 
best  calculated  to  promote  the  happiness  of  man- 
kind. Church  Government  is  not  less  importa^.t  or 
difficult  than  civil  government.  Yea,  Church 
Government  is  as  much  more  difficult  as  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  mind  is  more  difficult  than  that  of 
the  body,  and  as  much  more  important,  as  spiritual 
is  greater  than  temporal  happiness.  Is  it,  then, 
supposable,  that  our  Lord  would  leave  a  matter  of 
such  importance  to  the  discretion  of  man  ?  Be- 
sides, the  disciples  of  Christ,  upon  whom  this  duty 
would  devolve,  are  the  unfittest  imaginable  for  such 
business.  They  are  generally  the  "  weak  things  of 
this  world."     Moreover,  it   is   evident  that  ever\ 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  29 

form  of  Church  Government,  which  man  might 
attempt  to  make,  would  be  on  the  model  of  the 
most  approved  form  of  civil  governments.  A 
Christian,  then,  to  be  a  legislator  in  a  church,  must 
have  the  qualifications  of  a  civil  legislator.  But  the 
great  mass  of  Christians  are  destitute  of  these 
qualifications.  They  must,  then,  either  yield  to  be 
led  implicitly  by  the  few  learned  among  them,  or 
be  liable  to  great  mistakes.  Divine  legislation  is 
therefore  necessar}^,  and  we  may  expect  to  find  it 
in  the  New  Testament. 

10.    A   VITAL   QUESTION. 

There  is  not  another  question  in  religion,  about 
which  so  much  human  blood  has  been  shed,  or  on 
account  of  which  the  earth  has  been  filled  with  so 
much  confusion,  as  this  very  question :  Does  not 
this  argue  the  necessity  of  a  Divine  model,  that 
God  may  be  vindicated,  and  the  blame  be  wholly 
attachable  to  man  ? 

11.    ANTI-CHRIST   UNAVOIDABLE. 

If  no  model  be  given,  it  would  be  impossible  to 
prevent  ambitious  men  from  imposing  on  the  sim- 
plicity of  the  multitude,  and  promoting  schemes 
for  their  own  aggrandizement,  under  the  specious 
cover  of  zeal  for  religion.  Such  men  as  Diotrephes 
would  always  assume  the  pre-eminence.  Anti- 
Christ  would,  on  this  supposition,  have  some 
apology.  Na}',  in  such  a  case,  some  sort  of  Anti- 
Christ  is  unavoidable ;  and  it  does  not  affect  tlie 
question  whether  he  is  one  man,  or  several  hundred. 


30         INDEPENDENT  OR  DEMOCRATIC 

Therefore,  to  leave  the  Christians  of  the  first  age 
without  excuse,  that  men  may  be  clearly  chargeable 
with  the  guilt  of  rearing  and  nurturing  that  monster, 
it  was  necessary  that  a  Divine  model  should  have 
been  given,  from  which  the  smallest  deviation  was 
sinful. 

12.    EVERY    man's    manhood  MUST   BE   RECOGNIZED. 

There  must  be  a  Divine  model  of  Church  Gov- 
ernment in  order  that  the  manhood  of  every 
Christian  be  established  and  maintained.  If  one 
Christian  submits  to  the  government  of  another, 
without  Divine  command,  he  thereby  surrenders 
his  manhood.  If  one  Christian  is  to  be  governed 
and  ruled  by  another,  there  must  be  Divine  direc- 
tion, showing  who  shall  govern,  and  who  shall 
submit.  Recognizing  the  manhood  of  every  man, 
who,  without  Divine  authority,  ma3:  assume  the 
prerogative  of  governing  in  matters  of  religion  ^ 
If  there  be,  therefore,  a  governing  power  among 
the  people  of  God,  it  must  be  by  Divine  authority, 
and  we  may  expect  to  find  it  in  the  New  Testament. 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  31 


CHAPTER  11. 

WHAT   IS   THE   NATURE    OF   THAT   FORM    WE   ARE  WAR- 
RANTED  TO   EXPECT? 

1.    THE    MOST    PRACTICABLE. 

That  form  of  Churcli  Government  which  is  prac- 
ticable in  all  countries,  ages,  and  circumstances,  is 
more  likel}-  to  be  the  New  Testament  model, 
than  one  that  is  not.  Now  there  is  no  country, 
age,  or  circumstance,  in  which  the  Independent 
form  is  not  practicable;  but  to  make  the  Hierarchi- 
cal practicable,  there  must  be  several  congregations 
formed  in  a  particular  district.  If  there  were  but 
a  single  congregation  in  a  nation,  the  Independent 
form  would  not  be  affected;  and  if  ever}^  individual 
of  a  nation  were  a  Christian,  it  is  equally  adequate.* 
Some  forms  of  the  Hierarchical  governments  are 
better  suited  to  one  form  of  civil  government, 
than  others.  The  Independent  is  equally  suited 
to  all  forms  of  civil  government,  and  being  prac- 

*  Jesus  recognizes  but  "two  or  three  gathered  together  in  his 
name,"  as  a  church  having  the  Divine  sanction.  (Matt,  xviii :  20.) 
In  such  a  church  the  Hierarchical  government  is  impossible,  even  in 
the  lowest  degree,  as  that  of  "ruling  elders"  of  the  Independent 
Presbyterian.  There  must  be  male  members  enough  to  form  "a 
bench  of  ruling  elders,"  and  others  beside,  to  make  even  this  insiy- 
n'tjicant  Hierarchy  possible.  A  church  so  small  can  only  be  a 
Democracy,  an  Independent  Democracy. 


32  INDEPENDENT    OR    DEMOCRATIC 

ticable  in  all  countries,  ages,  and  circumstances, 
is  most  likely  to  be  the  New  Testament  model. 

2.    THAT    FORM   WHICH   IS   CAPABLE    OF   LEAST   ABUSE. 

That  form  of  Church  Government  which  is  capa- 
ble of  the  least  abuse  is  most  likely  to  be  Divine. 
This  is  unquestionably  the  Independent.  If  a 
single  church  on  this  plan  degenerates,  becomes 
erroneous  or  indifferent,  it  has  no  direct  power  to 
injure  others,  or  draw  them  into  errors.  But  it  is 
quite  contrary  with  a  Hierarchy.  When  one 
congregation  degenerates,  falls  into  error,  as  part 
of  the  whole  body,  in  proportion  to  its  standing 
and  importance,  it  has  an  influence  on  all  the  rest ; 
and  when  such  become  the  more  numerous,  their 
power  to  corrupt  the  more  pure  is  increased.  On 
the  other  hand,  in  a  period  of  general  lukewarm- 
ness  or  apostas}^,  if  an  Independent  church  be 
impressed  with  the  duty  of  reformation,  there  is 
nothing  in  their  connection  with  other  churches  to 
clog,  or  prevent  a  reformation.  But  a  congrega- 
tion, which  is  part  of  a  Ilierarch}',  in  such  a  sit- 
uation, would  find  the  whole  weight  of  the  con- 
nection hanging  upon  them,  and  it  would  be 
impossible  for  them  to  succeed  without  bringing 
the  majority  of  the  whole  body  to  their  mind,  or 
by  separation.  It  is  supposed  that  by  having  some 
kind  of  a  ruling  body  as  a  Synod,  Conference,  or 
such  like,  error  may  be  kept  from  creeping  into 
congregations,  and  union  be  promoted,  by  the 
power  the  majority  has  over  the  minorit}'-.  But 
how  should  one  man,  or  one  body,  keep  another 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  3S 

from  error  ?  By  compulsion,  or  persuasion  ?  There 
is  no  lawful  means  for  one  body  to  keep  another 
from  error,  but  by  remonstrance,  and  exhortation. 
No  other  method  can  be  successful ;  if  this  fails, 
pains,  penalties,  imprisonments,  confiscations,  and 
death,  would  be  useless.  Force  may  make  h^^po- 
crites,  but  never  will  make  consistent,  truth-loving 
Christians.  A  law  of  the  General  Assembly,  or 
Conference,  or  S^'nod,  may  prevent  a  man  from 
preaching  error  on  some  particular  points  of  doc- 
trine ;  but  can  it  enable  him  to  preach  "  the  truth  as 
it  is  in  Jesus  ?"  Will  it  enable  "the  blind  to  lead 
the  blind,  without  both  falling  into  the  ditch?" 
Where  is  the  great  difference  between  poisoning  the 
sheep,  and  starving  them  ?  Let  the  history  of  the 
Hierarchies  vouch  their  utility  and  efficiency  in  re- 
straining error,  and  preserving  vital  religion  and 
union,  even  in  their  own  bounds  !  Let  their  history 
in  England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland,  and  every  part 
of  Europe,  give  testimony  to  their  restraining  and 
preserving  influence  !  Let  the  names  on  ever3^body's 
lips— "High  Church"  and  "Low  Church,"  "Old 
School"  and  "  New  School,"  "  Church  North"  and 
Church  South,"  "  Ritualist"  and  "  Anti-Ritualist," 
"Symbolist"  and  " Anti-Symbolist,"— tell  their 
preserving,  restraining,  and  union-promoting  influ- 
ence, even  in  our  own  free  land  !  Their  history 
will  show,  that,  in  proportion  to  the  entireness  of 
their  sway  or  dominion,  that  for  a  time,  they  may 
preserve  orthodoxy  in  the  letter,  but  midnight 
darkness  may  reign  with  an  orthodox  creed,  to  be 
followed,  ultimately,  by  every  form  of  error  and 


34  INDEPENDENT    OR    DEMOCRATIC 

corruption.  While,  on  the  other  hand,  the  history 
of  the  InclejDendent  churches,  as  they  existed  from 
the  times  of  the  Apostles  to  the  16th  century, 
under  the  names  of  Novatians  or  Cathari,  Donatists, 
Paulicians,  Henricians,  Petrobrussians,  Arnoldists, 
Albigenses,  Waldenses,  Mennonites  or  Anabaptists, 
and  AVelsh  Baptists, — "  Witnesses  for  the  truth^''^ 
— shows,  as  pertains  to  the  great  majority^of  them, 
a  purit}^  of  life,  and  an  uncorruptedness  of  doctrine, 
which  even  their  enemies  have  not  been  able  to  im- 
peach. Now,  all  the  means  of  remonstrance,  per- 
suasion, exhortation,  and  entreaty,  are  equall}^  open 
to  the  Independent  churches  to  preserve  each  other 
from  backsliding  and  error.  A  church  of  this 
order  may  reform  other  churches,  but  can  receive 
no  injury  from  them.  A  congregation  in  a  Hierar- 
chy may  be  injured  by  its  connection,  if  others  are 
corrupt,  but  cannot  reform  them  in  any  other  way 
than  what  is  practicable  by  an  Independent  church. 
The  conclusion,  therefore,  is  inevitable,  that,  as 
this  form  of  government  has  all  the  advantages, 
without  any  of  the  disadvantages,  of  the  Hierar- 
chical, it  is  more  likely  to  be  the  New  Testament 
plan. 

3.    THAT    FORM   WHICH   IS    SUFFICIENT. 

It  is  a  maxim  of  philosophy,  as  well  as  in  theolo- 
gy, that  God  does  nothing  in  vain.  According  to 
this,  if  all  the  ends  of  Church  Government  can  be 
obtained  in  an  Independent  church,  all  foreign  in- 
terference is  useless,  and  cannot  be  God's  appoint- 
ment.    That  a  church  under  this  form  of  govern- 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  35 

ment,  can  subsist  in  vigor,  is  evident  from  experi- 
ence ;  and  that  it  is  capable  of  exerting  all  neces- 
sary influence  in  joreserving  others  from  error,  is 
also  evident ;  what  possible  advantage,  then,  can 
be  gained  b}'  a  numerous  subordination  of  higher 
human  authorities  ?  If  a  light  hat  of  fur  be  suffi- 
cient to  preserve  the  head  from  the  weather,  why 
cover  it  with  a  millstone  ? 

4.    THAT   FORM   WHICH   DOES    NOT   NEED    HUMAN 
EXPEDIENTS. 

That  form  of  Church  Government  which  cannot 
preserve  uniformit}^  and  purity  of  doctrine  without 
human  expedients,  is  not  so  likely  to  be  the  New 
Testament  model,  as  that  which  can  attain  and  pre- 
serve the  highest  possible  degree  of  vital  religion, 
as  well  as  uniformity  and  purity  of  doctrine,  with- 
out admitting,  in  any  instance,  the  devices  of  human 
wisdom.  Now,  the  advocates  of  the  Hierarchical 
form  of  government  claim,  that  it  is  impossible  to 
preserve  uniformity  of  opinion  among  them,  with- 
out some  general  authoritative  formula,  or  confes- 
sion, or  articles  of  faith,  to  be  publicly  recognized 
by  their  membership.  There  is  no  such  formula  or 
confession  of  faith  in  the  Scriptures.  That  consti- 
tution that  requires  one  to  maintain  purity  is  not 
likely  to  be  of  God. 

5.    THAT    FORM    WHICH    REQUIRES    MOST    KNOWLEDGE 
OF     THE    SCRIPTURES. 

That  fonn  of  Church  Government  that  leads  most 


36  INDEPENDENT    OR    DEMOCRATIC 

to  the  Scriptures,  and  requires  in  church  members 
the  most  intimate  acquaintance  with  them,  is  most 
likely  to  be  the  form  prescribed  by  the  New  Testa- 
tament.  Without  acquaintance  with  the  Divine 
oracles,  the  members  of  an  Independent  church 
cannot  advance  a  single  step  in  church  affairs.  A 
knowledge  of  the  Scriptures  is  absolutely  necessary 
to  them,  arising  from  the  constitution  of  their 
churches.  The  Bible  is  their  code  of  laws ;  they 
have  no  other  authoritative  confession  of  faith,  or 
book  of  discipline,  and  it  must,  in  order  to  their 
instruction  in  their  church  business,  and  duties,  be 
always  before  them.  In  the  Hierarchical  churches, 
submitting  every  thing  to  their  rulers,  and  authori- 
tative bodies,  the  mass  of  their  membership  need 
know  but  little  about  the  Scriptures.  Hence,  alas  ! 
the  "  Roman  Catholic  layman"  is  deprived  of  the 
precious  volume  altogether.  The  church  rulers 
need,  as  their  chief  qualifications,  a  knowledge  of 
established  forms,  ancient  usages,  ecclesiastical 
canons,  books  of  discipline,  and  confessions  of 
faith;  and  these,  of  necessity,  must  be  chiefly  con- 
sulted. The  Independent  form,  requiring  constant 
study  of  the  Scriptures,  is  most  likely  to  be  the 
form  found  in  the  New  Testament. 

6.    THAT    FORM    WHICH    MOST    CONSTANTLY    NEEDS 
THE    DIVINE    PRESENCE. 

That  form  of  Church  Government  which  needs 
most  the  presence  of  God  and  prayer,  is  most  like- 
ly to  be  the  Divine  model.  As  the  membership  in 
an  Independent  church  need  to  be  in  constant  com- 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  37 

mimion  with  the  Scriptures,  and  learning  there  the 
duty  of  unanimity  in  all  things,  when,  by  their 
feeble  judgment,  they  are  unable  to  decide,  their 
only  resource  is  pra^^er  for  Divine  direction.  The 
mass  of  their  memlDcrship  are  not  the  learned,  but 
"  the  weak  things  of  the  world,"  and  therefore  re- 
quire, constantly,  Divine  aid ;  so  that,  if  there  be 
one  member  of  a  dift'erent  mind  from  the  rest,  the 
promised  presence  and  interposition  of  Jesus  is 
their  only  refuge,  and  prayer  their  only  remedy. 
They  have  no  other  judicatory.  They  must  appeal 
to  God,  and  await  his  direction.  A  system  which 
thus  inevitably  recognizes  the  Divine  prerogative, 
and  leads  its  adherents  constantly  to  him  for  direc- 
tion, we  may  expect  to  find  in  the  New  Testament. 

T.    THAT   FORM   WHICH  IS    MOST   FAVORABLE    TO 
SOUL-LIBERTY. 

That  form  of  Church  Government  which  recog- 
nizes most  fully  the  manhood  of  every  man,  which 
is  most  favorable  to  liberty  of  conscience,  and  in 
which  the  individual  experiences  the  least  undue 
influence  in  determining  his  principles  and  conduct 
in  religious  matters,  is  most  likely  to  be  the  New 
Testament  model.  The  Scriptures  are  the  only 
rule  of  faith  and  practice,  and  every  man  is  bound 
to  judge  of  them,  and  determine  their  meaning  for 
himself.  He  may  use  helps  to  understand  them : 
but  if  he  understands  them  differently  from  others, 
he  is  bound  to  act  on  his  own  belief,  rather  than 
that  of  another.     No  other  churches  recognize  the 

manhood  of  every  member,  and  in  no  other  churches 
4 


38  INDEPENDENT    OR    DEMOCRATIC 

is  this  liberty  so  completely  enjoyed,  as  in  the  In- 
dependent churches.  True,  in  some  of  the  Hierar- 
chies, individuals  may  enjoy  all  the  liberty  they  de- 
sire ;  but  does  this  result  from  the  nature  of  their 
constitution,  or,  from  the  indulg-ence  or  indifference 
of  those  connected  with  them  ?  The  leading  princi- 
ple of  the  Hierarchical  system,  that  for  which  it  is 
most  prized  b}^  its  greatest  admirers,  is  the  power 
of  regulating  principles  and  conduct  in  matters  of 
religion.  If  this  power  be  taken  away,  what  end  does 
it  serve  ?  And  should  the  authoritative  body  meet, 
without  this  power,  it  would  be  but  a  meeting  of 
officers  "  in  general  or  annual  convocation,"  for  coun- 
cil and  advice.  Where  has  there  been  such  a  meet- 
ing, such  a  convocation  of  the  officers  or  delegates  of 
a  Hierarchy,  that  acted  solely  on  the  principle  of 
council  and  advice  ?  There  are  Hierarchical  con- 
nections, in  which  individuals  may  be  Calvinists  or 
Arminians,  believe  the  canon  of  Scripture,  or  set 
aside  part  of  it,  believe  in  baptismal  regeneration, 
or  reject  it,  and  disagree  in  reference  to  other  im- 
portant doctrines  and  church  rites  and  ceremonies; 
but  this  can  only  be  the  result  of  connivance  in  the 
general  authoritative  bod3^  Whenever  the  ruling 
body  chooses  to  claim  its  right,  a  majority  may 
compel  an  individual  to  embrace  ever}?-  peculiarity  of 
their  creed,  and  direct  and  circumscribe  his  labors 
as  they  please.  Is  not  every  member  amenable  to 
their  bar,  if  he  transgress  any  law  of  theirs,  altJiough 
he  may  judge  them  contrary  to  the  laws  of  Christ  ? 
Does  he  have  the  privilege,  while  under  their  juris- 
diction, of  thinking  and  acting  for  himself,  in  all 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  39 

religious  matters  ?  Tp  be  consistent  he  must  sub- 
mit. Then,  though  there  may  be  more  libert}'  of 
conscience  in  some  of  the  Hierarchies  than  others 
of  the  same  order,  as  the  power  of  compulsion  is 
inherent  in  their  constitution,  involving,  to  a  greater 
or  less  degree,  the  surrender  of  the  manhood  of  the 
membership  thereof,  that  form  cannot  be  the  one 
most  likely  to  be  found  in  the  New  Testament. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  Independent  Church  Govern- 
ment, gave  birth  to  the  best  form  of  Civil  Govern- 
ment. Thomas  Jefferson  learned  his  ideas  of  the 
principles  of  Civil  Government,  from  a  little  Inde- 
pendent (Baptist)  church,  in  the  neighborhood  in 
which  he  lived,  w^hose  business  meetings  he  was  in 
the  habit  of  attending.  The  principle  which  under- 
lies the  whole  structure  of  the  Government  of  the 
United  States  of  America,  and  each  State,  viz., 
that  all  power  is  inherent  in  the  people,  that  the 
officers  of  the  Government  are  of  the  people,  chosen 
by  the  people,  not  to  rule  over  them,  but  to  serve 
them,  and  promote  their  interests  and  welfare,  is 
the  ver}'-  centre  and  soul  of  Independent  Church 
Government.  In  all  the  history  of  the  Hierarchies, 
where  have  any  of  them  given  civil  liberty  to  any 
part  of  the  world  ?  Is  it  not  true,  that  where  the 
Hierarchy  is  most  potent,  there  the  Government  of 
the  State  is  most  despotic ;  and  in  proportion  as 
the  power  of  the  Hierarchy  has  been  modified  and 
limited,  the  Civil  Government  is  free  ? 

Independency  gave  birth  to  Religious  Liberty. 
Roger  Williams,  an  Independent  minister,  first,  in 
all  the  history  of  human  governments,  proclaimed 


40  INDEPENDENT    OR   DEMOCRATIC 

and  established  the  entire  separation  of  Church  and 
State,  and  the  absolute  freedom  of  the  worshipper, 
from  the  control  of  the  State.  Says  Bancroft,  (in 
his  great  History  of  the  United  States,)  concerning 
Roger  Williams :  "He  was  a  Puritan,  and  a  fugitive 
from  English  persecution,  *  *  ^i'  and  he,  and  he 
alone,  had  arrived  at  the  great  principle  which  is 
its  sole  effectual  remedy.  He  announced  his  dis- 
covery under  the  simple  proposition  of  the  sanctity 
of  conscience.  The  civil  magistrate  should  restrain 
crime,  but  never  control  opinion ;  should  punish 
guilt,  but  never  violate  the  freedom  of  the  soul. 
*  *  *  At  a  time  when  Germany  was  the  battle- 
field of  all  Europe,  in  the  implacable  wars  of  reli- 
gion, when  even  Holland  was  bleeding  with  the 
anger  of  vengeful  factions,  when  France  was  still* 
to  go  through  the  fearful  struggle  with  bigotr3^, 
when  England  was  gasping  under  the  despotism  of 
intolerance,  more  than  forty  ^^-ears  before  William 
Penn  became  an  American  proprietary,  Roger 
Williams  asserted  the  great  doctrine  of  intellectual 
liberty.  It  became  his  glory  to  found  a  State  upon 
that  principle.  ^=  *  *  *  *  He  was  the  first  person 
in  modern  Christendom  to  assert  in  its  plenitude 
the  doctrine  of  the  liberty  of  conscience,  the 
equality  of  opinions  before  the  law,"  etc. 

From  this  beginning,  in  the  State  of  Rhode 
Island,  religious  liberty  has  gradually  spread  over 
our  whole  country,  being  incorporated  into  the 
constitution  of  every  State.  In  Virginia  the  strug- 
gle was  long  and  hard.  Dr.  Hawks,  in  his  history 
of  the    Protestant   Episcopal  church  of  Virginia, 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  41 

says  :  '*  The  Baptists  were  the  principal  promoters 
of  this  work,  and,  in  truth,  aided  more  than  any 
other  denomination  in  its  accomplishment."  More- 
over the  Baptists,  ever  on  the  alert,  not  satisfied 
with  the  Constitution  of  the  Federal  Union,  urged, 
and  procured  the  adoption  of  the  amendment,  re- 
lating to  religious  liberty,  which  is  now  the  supreme 
law  of  the  land.  Where,  we  may  ask  again,  in  all 
the  history  of  the  Hierarchies,  have  they  given 
religious  liberty  to  any  part  of  our  earth.  Is  it  not 
true,  that  where  the  Hierarchy  is  most  potent, 
religious  liberty  is  not  enjo3^ed  ;  and  in  proportion 
as  the  power  of  the  Hierarchy  is  modified  or  limited, 
religious  liberty  is  enjoyed  ?  From  them,  as  shown 
by  their  histor}^ — and  they  have  a  history — not  a 
single  ray,  of  either  civil  or  religious  liberty,  has 
fallen  upon  the  pathway  of  any  of  our  race.  If, 
therefore,  civil  and  religious  liberty  be  of  God, 
Hierarch}'-,  which  has  ever  been  antagonistic  to 
them,  cannot  be  of  God,  and  is  not  likely  to  be 
found  in  the  New  Testament. 

8.    THAT    FORM    WHICH   HAS    FEWEST   INCITEMENTS 
TO    UNHALLOWED    AMBITION. 

Nothing  is  more  universally  felt  in  the  human 
heart  than  ambition.  Nothing  our  Lord  found 
more  diflficult  to  repress,  in  His  immediate  followers. 
That  form  of  Church  Government,  then,  which  af- 
fords fewest  incitements  to  ambition^  is  likely  to 
be  the  model  our  Lord  would  set  forth.  Of  all 
churches,  the  Independent  will  stand  foremost  in 
this.     They  aftbrd  no  opportunities  for  the  exercise 


42  INDEPENDENT    OR   DEMOCRATIC 

of  a  worldly  ambition.  Where  the  fundamental 
principle  is  equality  of  all,  before  the  law  op 
Christ,  there  can  be  no  incitement  to  unhallowed 
ambition.  Some  of  the  Hierarchies  have  fought 
for  and  obtained  temporal  power  and  riches,  and 
when  they  held  the  sword,  it  was  more  like  Mahomet 
of  Mecca,  than  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  Gradation  in 
office  and  power  belongs  intrinsically  to  the  Hierar- 
chical form  of  Church  Government.  This  promotes 
ambition,  and  cannot,  therefore,  be  the  Divine  order. 

9.  that  form  whose  hypotheses  are  uniform. 
If  there  be  any  particular  model  of  Church  Gov- 
ernment in  the  Kew  Testament,  it  is  probable  that 
the  enlightened  advocates  of  it  would  rest  their 
cause  on  the  same  foundation,  however  various  their 
arguments.  For,  if  several  intelligent  men  embrace 
the  same  model,  and  have  the  same  means  of  infor- 
mation, they  have  every  inducement  to  unanimity; 
and,  if  disinterested  and  unprejudiced,  are  likel}^  to 
defend  it  on  the  same  general  ground.  If  they  take 
different  and  opposite  hypotheses  to  serve  as 
groundwork  for  their  superstructure,  they  are  not 
likely  to  have  had  a  common  ground  in  the  Scriptures. 
Now,  the  advocates  of  Hierarchy  take  quite  different 
grounds  to  rest  it  on.  Some  defend  the  whole  sys- 
tem as  Divine.  Others  find  only  the  skeleton  of  it 
in  the  word  of  God.  Others  defend  it  as  a  lawful 
human  system,  on  the  ground  that  no  particular 
form  of  Church  Government  is  prescribed  (as  they 
teach)  in  the  New  Testament.  Some  find  three 
orders  in  the  Christian  Ministry,  others  but  onfe  or 


CnURCII   GOVERNMENT.  43 

a  parity  of  all,  or,  at  most,  two.  No  two  of  the 
Hierarchies  are  alike.  They  differ  in  important 
particulars,  as  much  as  the  political  governments  of 
the  world.  The  rational  inference  to  be  drawn  from 
this  diversity  is,  that  they  have  no  common  source 
from  which  to  draw  their  ideas.  If  they  all  saw  the 
same  picture  in  the  word  of  God,  surely  they  would 
not  give  so  many  diflerent  and  contradictory  ac- 
counts of  it,  when  it  is  their  interest  to  agree.  If 
the  Presbyterian  form  of  Church  Government  had 
been  in  the  Scriptures,  Dr.  George  Campbell,  of 
Aberdeen,  was  fuU}^  equal  to  the  task  of  defending 
it ;  3'et  he  gives  up  its  Divine  right,  and  proves 
beyond  contradiction,  that  the  apostolic  churches 
were  Independent.  Archbishop  Whately,  of  all 
men,  could  defend  the  Divine  right  of  Episcopacy  ; 
but  he,  too,  in  his  picture  of  a  church  on  an  island, 
yields  the  claim  to  Independency.  So,  also,  Drs. 
John  Lawrence  Mosheim  and  Samuel  Schmucker, 
of  the  Lutheran  church,  who  find  only  Independent 
churches  in  the  times  of  the  Apostles.  These  dis- 
tinguished men,  and  others  we  might  name,  if  the 
Hierarchical  form  of  Church  Government  was  in  the 
New  Testament,  could  find  it,  and  defend  it  against 
all  opposers.  The  conclusion  is  inevitable.  Hier- 
archical Church  Government  is  not  in  the  New 
Testament. 

10.    THAT    FORM    WHICH     IS    BEST    ADAPTED    TO    PRO- 
MOTE   THE    WELFARE   OF    ITS   ADHERENTS. 

The  ends   of    Church  Government   and    church 
meetings  of  every  kind,  must  be,  chiefly,  the  edifi- 


44  TNDErENPENT    OR    DEMOCllATIC 

cation  and  growth  of  the  members,  and  the  promo- 
tion of  brotherly  love.  That  form  of  government 
which  is  best  calculated  to  promote  these  ends,  is 
most  likely  to  have  been  instituted  by  Christ.  The 
legitimate  workings  of  the  two  sj-stems  may  be 
seen  in  their  history,  as  for  centuries  they  existed, 
in  direct  antagonism,  in  Europe .  The  history  of 
the  Hierarchies  has  been  written,  and  what  a  fright, 
ful  and  appaling  picture  it  presents !  How  appro- 
priately are  the  ten  centuries  preceding  the  six- 
teenth, as  pertains  to  the  Hierarchies  of  Greece  and 
Kome,  named  "  the  dark  ages  !"  The  history  of  the 
churches  of  the  Independent  order  of  government 
is  not  yet  full}^  written,  and  if  ever  written  at  all, 
many  of  its  lines  must  be  traced  in  blood — freely 
poured  out  by  the  best  of  men,  whose  lives  were 
cheerfully  given  for  the  pure,  unadulterated  word 
of  God,  "  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints." 
The  few  pages  of  their  history  which  have  come 
down  to  us,  are  like  oases  in  a  desert ;  and,  like  the 
"Star  of  Bethlehem,"  shining  o'er  Judea's  dark 
plains,  pointing  the  wise  men  to  the  Redeemer's 
lowly  bed,  they  point  the  reader  to  a  people,  "  whose 
origin  is  hid  in  the  remote  depths  of  antiquity,"* 
who  are  the  true  representatives  of  gospel  simplici- 
ty and  purity.  Jones  saj^s  of  the  Paulicians,  under 
which  name  the}^  were  at  one  period  known  :  "  Their 
leading  idea  was  to  restore  the  profession  of  Chris- 
tianity to  its  primitive  simplicit3^"f  Gibbon  says: 
"  The  Paulician  teachers  were  distinguished  by  their 

«-  Moshiem,  vol.  iv.,  p^D.  424-428.     f  Jones's  Ch.  Hist.,  pp.  237-240. 


OHURCII    GOVERNMENT.  45 

scriptural  names — by  the  moclcist  title  of  their  fellow 
pilgrims — the  austerity  of  their  lives — and  the  credit 
of  some  extraordinary  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit;  but 
they  were  incapable  of  desiring,  at  least  of  obtaining, 
the  wealth  and  honors  of  the  Catholic  Prelacy. 
Such  anti-christian  conduct  they  strongly  con- 
demned."* Mosheim  most  clearly  shows  that 
they  had  more  correct  ideas  of  religion  and  church 
order,  than  the  dominant  churches  (Greek  and 
Romish)  of  that  period,  and  were  persecuted  more  on 
account  of  their  dislike  to  images,  and  opposition 
to  the  Hierarchies,  than  for  their  other  religious 
opinions.  He  says :  "  It  may  be  observed,  in  the 
first  place,  that  the  Mennonites  are  not  entirely 
mistaken  when  they  boast  of  their  descent  from  the 
Waldenses,  Petrobrussians,  and  other  ancient  sects, 
who  are  usually  considered  witnesses  of  the  truth, 
in  times  of  universal  darkness  and  superstition. 
Before  the  rise  of  Luther  and  Calvin,  there  lay  con- 
cealed in  almost  all  the  countries  of  Europe,  parti- 
cularly in  Bohemia,  Moldavia,  Switzerland,  and  Ger- 
many, many  persons  who  adhered  tenaciously  to 
the  following  doctrine,  which  the  Waldenses,  Wick- 
lifRtes,  and  Hussites  had  maintained,  some  in  a 
more  dignified,  and  others  in  a  more  open  and  pub- 
lic manner,  viz:  That  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  or  the 
visible  church  he  had  established  on  earth,  luas  an 
assembly  of  true  and  real  saints,  and  ought  therefore 
to  be  inaccessible  to  the  ivicked  and  luwighteous, 
and  also  exempt  from  all  those  institidions  luhich 

*■  Gibbon's  Rome,  vol.  v.,  p.  389. 


46  INDEPENDENT    OR   DEMOCRATIC 

human  prudence  suggessts."*  Concerning  them, 
Rienerius  Saccho,  a  Roman  Catholic  Inquisitor,  and 
most  bitter  enemy,  deliberately  makes  the  following 
declaration  :  "  Among  all  the  sects,  which  still  are 
or  have  been,  there  is  not  one  more  pernicious  than 
that  of  the  Leonists,  (a  name  given  to  the  Walden- 
ses,)  and  that  for  several  reasons:  1st.  Because  it  is 
the  oldest ;  for  some  say  it  hath  existed  from  the* 
time  of  Pope  Sylvester,  (4th  cent.,)  others  from  the 
time  of  the  Apostles.  The  2d.  Becanse  it  is  more 
general ;  for  there  is  scarce  any  country  where  this 
sect  is  not.  And  od.  Because,  when  all  other  sects 
beget  horror  by  their  blasphemies  against  God,  this, 
the  Leonists,  hath  a  great  show  of  piety,  because 
the}^  live  justl}^  before  men,  and  believe  all  things 
concerning  God,  and  all  the  articles  contained  in 
the  creed,  only,  they  blaspheme  the  church  of 
Rome."  He  says  further:  "They  maybe  known 
by  their  manner,  and  their  words ;  for  in  their 
manner  the}^  are  composed  and  modest — they  show 
no  pride  in  their  garb,  being  neither  costly  nor 
sordid.  They  avoid  merchandize  and  trade  for 
fear  of  lies,  oaths,  and  cozenage,  but  live  only  by 
their  handicraft :  and  even  tlieir  teachers  are  artifi- 
cers. They  heap  not  up  riches,  but  are  content 
with  necessaries,  and  these  Leonists  are  singularly 
chaste,  ^vhereas  all  others  but  they,  are  incestuous. 
They  are  also  temperate  in  their  eating  and  drink- 
ing. They  frequent  not  taverns,  neither  dancings, 
nor  other  vanities.     They  refrain  from  anger,  and 


*■  Mosh.,  vol.  iv.,  p.  428.  (McClaine's  Trans.) 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  4Y 

are  always  at  work,  and  both  learn  and  teach  one 
another.  The}''  are  also  to  be  known  by  their  speech, 
in  which  the}^  are  wary  and  modest,  and  take 
special  care  to  abstain  from  scnrrility  and  detrac- 
tion, from  levity  of  expression,  and  lying,  and 
swearing."*  Looking  at  this  picture,  and  compar- 
ing it  with  the  well  known  history  of  darkness,  and 
ignorance,  and  superstition ;  of  usurpation,  and 
tyranny,  and  oppression,  priest-C7'a/i^,  and  cruel  per- 
secution ;  of  debauchery,  and  licentiousness,  and 
deep  moral  degradation,  which  characterized  the 
Greek  and  Romish  Hierarchies  during  all  this 
period,  and  to  this  day  characterize  them  where 
their  power  is  not  limited,  or  modified — will  any  one 
say  the  genius  of  their  constitution  had  nothing  to 
do  in  producing  this  vast  difference?  The  con- 
clusion is  inevitable,  the  simple,  Independent 
form  of  Church  Government  is  best  adapted  to  pro- 
mote the  welfare  of  its  adherents,  and  is,  therefore, 
the  form  most  likely  to  be  found  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment. 

11.    THAT  FORM  WHICH  MOST  NEARLY  RESEMBLES  THE 
SIMPLICITY  OF  OTHER    GOSPEL  INSTITUTIONS. 

Christ's  institutions  father  themselves.  If  a 
child  be  lost,  and  after  many  j'-ears,  several  pre- 
tenders come  to  the  father,  and  there  be  not  suffi- 
cient evidence  from  testimony,  to  determine  between 
them,  would  it  not  be  proper  to  look  for  a  resem- 
blance  to   the    parents  and   their   other   children. 


«  Rien.  Saccho,  contra  Wald.,  Baird's  Hist,  of  the  Wald.,  pp.  276-279 


48  INDEPENDENT   OR   DEMOCRATIC 

either  in  bodily  appearance,  temper,  or  genius? 
If  a  striking  resemblance  is  found  in  any  one  of 
them,  it  will  be  instantly  concluded  that  he  fathers 
himself.  In  the  same  manner  it  is  reasonable  to 
expect  a  family  likeness  in  all  the  ordinances  and 
works  of  God.  Let  us  then  apply  this  rule  in 
ascertaining  the  Divine  legitiraac}^  of  the  form  of 
Church  Government,  Christ  has  such  a  child,  and 
while  hid  in  the  wilderness,  a  vile  imposture  has 
been  imposed  on  the  world  during  all  the  dark  ages 
of  the  reign  of  Anti-Christ.  Since  the  time  when 
this  child  came  forth  from  his  hiding  place,  in  the 
sixteenth  century,  others  have  laid  claim  to  the 
honor  of  heavenly  birth.  It  may  be  highly  service- 
able, in  judging  of  their  claims,  to  compare  the 
features,  mien,  temper,  and  genius  of  each,  with 
those  of  the  Father  and  his  other  undoubted  chil- 
dren. God's,  wisdom  is  foolishness  to  the  world, 
and  the  wisdom  of  the  world  is  foolishness  with 
God.  Whatever  then  be  the  Divine  form  of  Church 
Government,  it  is  evident  that  it  must  be  one 
which  would  not  be  suggested  by  human  prudence 
or  policy,  that  it  may  appear  to  be  of  God,  anal- 
ogous to  his  procedure  in  other  instances,  and 
having  a  necessity  for  his  presence  and  guidance. 
It  must  be  one  which  would  appear  defective,  and 
inadequate  in  the  estimation  of  the  wisdom  of  this 
world  that  God  may  have  the  glory  of  upholding 
it  himself.  This  is  exactl}''  the  manner  of  the 
Divine  procedure  in  every  instance.  The  wisdom 
of  the  world  expected  Christ  to  have  appeared  in 
far  different  and  opposite   circumstances,  and   to 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  49 

have  acted  in  quite  a  contrary  manner,  in  erecting 
and  establishing  his  kingdom  ;  but  the  Divine 
wisdom  appears  in  this,  that  the  Almighty  power 
of  God  is  manifested  in  accomplishing  what  had 
evidentl}^  no  other  support.  As  the  Gospel  was  first 
propagated  by  means  the  most  unlikely  to  succeed, 
in  themselves  the  most  inadequate ;  to  show  that  the 
unseen  hand  of  God  upheld  and  spread  it,  and  that 
the  Divine  procedure  be  consistent,  it  is  necessary 
that  the  government  be  seen  to  rest  solely  on  Im- 
manuel's  shoulders.  As  he  was  introduced  and 
inaugurated,  and  his  kingdom  set  up  in  a  manner 
directl3'  the  reverse  of  human  prudence  and  policy, 
so  also  is  it  probable  he  will  govern  it.  To  conduct 
the  government  of  his  kingdom  On  any  of  the  plans 
of  human  government,  by  measures  and  assemblies 
formed  after  a  worldly  model,  would  be  inconsistent 
with  the  whole  conduct  and  procedure  of  Jesus, 
Xow  if  there  be  any  justice  in  this  reasoning,  a 
very  child  may  apply  it  to  the  point  in  hand.  It 
may  be  said  truthfully  of  the  government  of  every 
Hierarchy  in  existence,  that  it  is  entirely  a  politi- 
cal institution,  either  an  absolute  or  limited  mon- 
archy, or  republic,  with  its  self-appointed  or  elevated 
and  perpetuated,  or  its  delegated,  earthly  head, 
or  rulers ;  its  executive,  legislative,  and  judicial 
powers ;  its  representation  in  ecclesiastical  assem- 
blies ;  subordination  of  courts,  right  of  appeal, 
forms  and  etiquette  of  business,  canons,  digests  of 
laws  and  decisions,  etc.,  etc.;  all  borrowed  from  the 
world.  On  the  contrary,  the  Independent  form,  like 
Christ   himself,  has   never   approved  itself  to  the 


50  INDEPENDENT    OR  DEMOCRATIC 

wisdom  of  this  world.  N'a}',  the  only  argument 
that  can  plausibly  be  urged  against  it,  is,  its  in- 
sutliciency  for  any  other  than  primitive  times.  In 
no  civil  government  in  the  world  are  its  distinguish- 
ing features  to  be  found.  It  could  not  govern  a 
private  family  of  nnregenerate  men.  We  call  it  a 
Democracy,  a  government  of  the  people ;  it  is 
rather  a  Christocrac}^;  Christ  alone  governs.  There 
is  not  a  law  or  regulation  left  to  the  wisdom  of 
man.  What  civil  government  ever  existed  in 
which  the  unanimous  consent  of  everj'-  member  was 
necessary  in  any  instance  ?  Human  affairs  could 
never  be  conducted  in  this  manner,  nor  could  a 
body  of  unconverted  men  in  a  church,  succeed  in 
its  government,  in  this  way.  Nothing  but  the 
unseen,  almight}^  power  of  God,  could  have  pro- 
tected and  propagated  the  Gospel  in  the  circum- 
stances of  its  appearance  ;  nothing  but  the  presence 
of  Jesus  according  to  his  promise,  (Matt,  xxviii:  19, 
20,)  could  make  the  machinery  of  Independent 
Church  Government  eft'ect  its  end.  If  then,  a  like- 
ness to  God,  and  an  analogy  to  his  procedure  in 
other  instances  be  anj^  token  of  childship.  Indepen- 
dency, and  not  Hierarch}',  is  the  lawful  heir. 

But  let  us  pursue  the  comparison  further.  In  all 
New  Testament  institutions,  there  is  a  remarkable 
simplicity.  In  the  Hierarchies  there  is  the  most  com- 
plicated machinery  that  could  possibly  be  inveuted  ; 
a  tedious,  roundabout,  "  red  iape''^  way  of  settling 
differences,  and  transacting  church  business.  Sev- 
eral hundred  men,  more  or  less,  from  distant  parts 
of  a  province,  kingdom,  state,  or  nation,  meeting  at 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  51 

stated  periods,  besides  all  their  subordinate  meet- 
ings, bears  no  resemblance  to  the  simplicity  of 
other  Gospel  institutions.  When  united  to  those, 
it  is  like  a  plain  dressed  gentleman,  with  a  huge 
military  hat  and  feather;  or  like  a  small,  neat 
chapel  with  a  towering  steeple.  The  simplicity  of 
the  Gospel  is  not  seen,  but  rather  a  worldly  pomp 
and  show,  and  not  having  the  marks  of  other 
Gospel  institutions,  we  cannot  reasonably  expect  to 
find  it  in  the  New  Testament.  We  might  trace  the 
picture  much  farther,  but  will  barely  mention  that 
Hierarchical  Government  is  too  expensive  for  a 
"  KINGDOM  NOT  OF  THIS  WORLD."  The  Other  children 
live  on  a  trifle ;  if  this  is  the  heir,  he  is  a  rake. 


52  INDEPENDENT    OR  DEMOCRATIC 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE  OBLIGATION  OF  APOSTOLIC   PRACTICE. 

Having  given  some  reasons  to  show  the  antece- 
dent probability  of  a  Divine  model  of  Church  Gov- 
ernment, with  some  observations  on  the  nature  of 
the  plan,  we  are  entitled  to  expect,  before  examining 
the  Scripture  respecting  the  claims  of  Hierarchical 
and  Independent  Church  Governments,  it  becomes 
necessary  to  establish  the  obligation  of  the  aposto- 
lic churches. 

1.    IF   THERE   BE    AN    APOSTOLIC    MODEL,    WHY    NOT 
FOLLOW   IT? 

It  cannot  possibly  be  determined  what  the  Bible 
contains,  till  we  examine  it ;  but  if  there  be  every 
reason,  antecedently,  to  expect  a  Divine  form  of 
Church  Government,  and  if  it  be  possible  to  trace 
the  practice  of  the  apostolic  churches,  is  there  not 
every  reason  to  look  on  this  as  the  Divine  model  ? 
It  is  granted  that  arguments  antecedent  to  an  ex- 
amination, are  inconclusive,  if  no  form  be  pointed 
out  from  the  New  Testament ;  but  if  it  is  possible  to 
ascertain  the  constitution  of  the  apostolic  churches, 
why  should  they  not  have  their  full  force  ?  Like 
an  0  in  figures,  these  arguments  draw  all  their  force 
from  their  situation:  standing  alone,  they  are 
worth   nothing ;  united  to   the  approved  apostolic 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  53 

practice,  their  worth  cannot  be  depreciated,  or  their 
force  invalidated.  If  a  Divine  plan  of  Church  Gov- 
ernment be  extremely  necessary,  by  what  authority 
does  any  man  reject  the  apostolic  plan  ? 

2.    THE    GENERAL    SENSE    OF    PROFESSING     CHRISTIANS. 

The  general  sense  of  professing  Christians  is  on 
the  side  of  the  obligation  of  apostolic  example. 
How  ready  are  they  to  catch  at  every  thing  that 
looks  like  approving  their  respective  systems ! 
What  abundant  pains  they  take  to  detect  every  part 
of  the  S3'stem  of  their  adversaries  that  is  not  apos- 
tolic !  Every  denomination  of  professing  Christians 
goes  as  far  as  it  can  in  company  with  the  Apostles  : 
it  is  not  till  they  cannot  follow,  that  they  proclaim 
their  insufliciency.  Did  ever  any  one  think  of  the 
insufficiency  of  apostolic  teaching  and  example,  till 
he  found  them  against  him  ?  Could  any  of  the 
Hierarchies  produce  uniform  apostolic  practice  on 
their  side,  how  would  they  triumph! 

3.    NO    PART    OP   SCRIPTURE    USELESS. 

If  the  apostolic  churches  are  not  a  model  to  us, 
then  all  those  numerous  scriptures  that  are  employed 
in  describing  them,  or  in  giving  them  directions, 
are  useless  to  us.  Why  is  such  lumber  contained 
in  the  word  of  God  ?  "  All  scripture"  is  said  to  be 
"  given  by  inspiration,"'  and  "  to  be  necessar}^ ;"  but 
if  we  are  not  to  imitate  the  apostolic  churches,  then, 
there  are  many  passages  in  the  New  Testament, 
now,  absolutely  useless.  Accordingly,  it  is  very 
evident,  how  uninteresting  such  portions  of  scrip- 


54         INDEPENDENT  OR  DEMOCRATIC 

ture  are  to  all  who  hold  themselves  at  liberty  to 
deviate  from  apostolic  example.  Such  persons 
have  a  much  more  barren  revelation  than  others. 

4.    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT    MODEL,    THE    BEST. 

Either  the  Apostles  acted  by  Divine  direction,  or 
by  their  own  wisdom,  in  the  constitution  of  churches. 
If  by  their  own  wisdom,  they  would  undoubtedly 
have  told  us  so,  as  they  do  in  less  important 
matters.  But,  even  on  this  supposition,  the  judg- 
ment of  an  Apostle  is  entitled  to  more  respect  than 
to  be  rejected,  without  the  most  urgent  reason.  The 
private  opinion  of  Paul,  on  a  matter  of  expediency, 
is  rather  to  be  preferred  than  that  of  a  whole 
general  council.  But  if  they  acted  by  Divine  com- 
mand, as  they  undoubtedly  did,  the  form  of  Church 
Government  they  instituted  can  never  be  changed, 
but  by  the  same  authority.  And  if  any  one  form 
is  better  than  another,  surely,  the  apostolic  is  the 
best.  It  cannot,  therefore,  be  a  matter  of  indiffer- 
ence, whether  we  follow  the  best,  or  adopt  a  worse. 
If  the  Holy  Spirit  had  judged  it  expedient  to  adopt 
a  different  form,  at  a  different  period,  or  under  dif- 
ferent circumstances,  there  must  have  been  some 
intimation  of  it.  Without  a  Divine  license,  we  are 
not  at  liberty  to  alter,  or  infringe  in  the  smallest 
degree.  We  may  as  well  assume  the  right  to  change 
any  other  apostolic  institution,  as  that  of  Church 
Qovernment. 

5.    NO    DANGER    IN    IMITATING    THE    APOSTOLIC 
MODELS. 

There  can  be  no  dano;er  in  the  closest  imitation 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  55 

of  the  apostolic  churches.  Is  any  one  sure  that  he 
does  not  displease  God  by  refusing  to  imitate  them  ? 
Between  the  certainty  of  pleasing  him,  on  the  one 
hand,  and  the  possihilit}-  of  displeasing  him,  on 
the  other,  the  choice  which  the  Christian  should 
make  is  evident. 

6.    CONSISTENCY. 

T^o  person  who  pleads  the  authority  of  apostolic 
example  for  the  first  day  of  the  week  as  the  Chris- 
tian Sabbath,  or,  indeed,  for  any  other  purpose,  can 
consistently  refuse  it  in  this  instance. 

T.  ONLY  A  PLAN  IN  MODEL  EXPECTED. 

A  plan  in  model,  and  not  in  systematic  delinea- 
tion is  what  we  are  entitled  to  expect.  A  direct 
and  formal  treatise  on  this  subject  which  many 
persons  look  for,  would  be  altogether  anomalous  in 
the  New  Testament.  After  ages  are  nowhere  ad- 
dressed but  in  the  person,  as  it  were,  of  the  apos- 
tolic churches ;  we  are  not  known  but  as  members 
of  them.  Whatever  is  said  to  them  is  said  to  us. 
Thus,  our  Lord  promising  his  continual  presence 
with  his  servants  in  preaching  and  obeying  the 
Gospel,  addresses  them  all  in  every  age,  in  the 
persons  of  the  Apostles,  then  present :  "  Lo,  I  am 
with  you  always  to  the  end  of  the  world."  "  Where 
two  or  three  of  you  are  met,  there  am  I,  etc."*  The 
Apostles,  also  speaking  of  what  was  to  come  to  pass 

*•  Matthew  xxviii.  20  ;  xviii.  20. 


56  INDEPENDENT    OR    DEMOCRATIC 

in  every  after  age,  address  those  to  whom  they 
write  as  concerned,  and  warn  them  of  what  was  to 
happen  to  us  and  our  successors  to  the  end  of  the 
world  :  "  We  who  are  alive  and  remain  unto  the 
coming  of  the  Lord  shall  not  prevent  (precede) 
them  who  are  asleep."*  Here  the  Apostle  ad- 
dresses, in  the  person  of  the  church  of  the  Thessa- 
lonians,  then  existing,  those  Christians  who  shall 
be  on  the  earth  at  the  time  of  the  second  coming  of 
our  Lord.  Many  more  examples  might  be  given  if 
it  were  necessary.  Now,  this  being  the  case,  that 
after-ages  are  addressed  in  the  person  of  apostolic 
churches,  how  absurd  it  is  to  expect  a  formal  trea- 
tise on  Church  Government !  Every  necessary  in- 
struction must  have  been  given  in  forming  the 
churches.  How  preposterous  would  it  be  for  an 
Apostle,  after  he  had  formed  a  church  and  left  it,  to 
write  a  treatise  to  that  church  on  the  method  of 
forming  a  church  !  All  then  that  can  be  expected 
is  an  incidental  account  of  apostolic  practice. 
The  subject  cannot  be  formally,  but  indirectl}^,  and 
as  it  were  unintentionally  handled.  Suppose,  for 
instance,  Paul  had  founded  a  church  in  Edinburgh, 
and,  after  his  departure,  had  written  a  letter  to 
them  to  establish  them  in  the  faith,  would  any 
rational  man  expect  a  treatise  on  the  constitution 
of  a  church,  which  he  had  already  constituted  ?  No  I 
All  we  could  expect  would  be  an  allusion  to  what 
he  had  done.  Then,  according  to  the  analogy  of 
the  manner  of  revelation  there  is  not  room  for  any 

^'  1  Thes.  iv.  15. 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  51 

Other  information  on  Church  Government  than  an 
account  of  apostolic  practice. 

8.     DIVINE    ADMONITION   TO   MOSES. 

"  Moses  was  admonished  to  make  all  things  ac- 
cording to  the  pattern  shown  him  in  the  mount." 
He  was  not  at  liberty  to  depart  in  the  least  from 
that  model.  Now  we  have  a  pattern  for  our  New 
Testament  churches,  exhibited  to  us  in  those  of  the 
apostolic  constitution.  To  this  pattern  we  are  to 
look  for  every  part  of  our  constitution  and  disci- 
pline. Let  every  man  take  care  that  he  make  every 
thing  in  a  Gospel  church  after  the  pattern  exhibited 
to  us  in  the  New  Testament.  This  is  the  Divine 
model ;  to  add  to  it,  or  take  from  it,  will  spoil  the 
beauty  and  diminish  the  strength  of  the  building. 

9.     PRESUMPTUOUS    TO    DEPART     FROM    THE    NEW    TES- 
TAMENT   MODELS   WITHOUT    DIVINE   AUTHORITY. 

We  are  often  called  on  to  be  followers  of  the 
Apostles,  without  any  exception  or  limitation.  By 
what  authority  is  the  formation  of  churches,  by  the 
Apostles,  excepted  from  this  rule  ?  From  every 
general  command  there  can  be  no  lawful  exception, 
but  what  is  impossible,  sinful,  or  otherwise  deter- 
mined. If  we  are  called  on  without  reserve  to 
follow  the  Apostles,  the  injunction  extends,  not 
merely  to  their  conduct  as  men,  but  particularly 
as  our  examples  in  church  affairs.  If  we  justif}^  a 
quarrelsome  disposition,  from  the  example  of  Paul 
and  Barnabas,  we  are  condemned  hy  the  Scriptures. 
But  this  quarrel  is  not  recorded  for  nothing.     It  is 


58         INDEPENDENT  OR  DEMOCRATIC 

for  an  example  to  guard  us  against  such  a  temper. 
If  any  one  contend  for  the  duty  of  celibacy  from 
the  example  of  Paul,  his  example,  in  this,  is  de- 
clared not  to  be  binding.  If  any  one  undertake 
to  work  miracles,  like  the  Apostles,  this  is  impossi- 
ble, without  receiving  the  power  of  an  Apostle.  But 
is  the  imitation  of  the  apostolic  churches  sinful, 
impossible,  or  otherwise  determined  in  any  part  of 
the  Scriptures  ?  If  not,  is  there  any  reason  for  ex- 
cepting it  from  the  general  injunction?  If  the 
apostolic  example  is  to  be  set  aside  in  the  constitu- 
tion of  churches,  those  who  thus  teach  must  pro- 
duce Divine  authority  for  setting  it  aside.  A  com- 
mand to  continue  the  apostolic  form  is  always  sup- 
posed unless  there  is  a  positive  declaration  to  the 
contrary.  If  God  instituted  the  Independent,  or 
an}^  other  form,  before  any  man  can  warrantably 
deviate  from  it,  he  must  produce  a  specific  license 
from  the  Scriptures. 

10.      SOME    APOSTOLIC    CHURCHES    MODELS    TO    OTHERS. 

The  manner  of  revelation  forbids  us  to  expect  a 
direct  address  to  after  ages  on  the  obligation  of 
apostolic  practice,  j^et  we  have  what  is  equivalent 
to  it.  There  are  instances  in  v/hich  an  older  com- 
pletely organized  apostolic  church  is  exhibited  as  a 
pattern  to  others,  not  so  perfect.  Now,  if  the  apos- 
tolic churches  are  exhibited  as  models  to  others,  and 
if  some  are  praised  or  blamed  for  their  conformity' 
to,  or  disagreement  from  them,  it  is  very  clear  that 
the  Apostles  intended  that  all  churches,  in  every 
age,  should  be  formed  after  the  same  model.     "  For 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  59 

ye  brethren  became  followers  of  the  churches  of 
God,  which,  in  Judea,  are  in  Christ  Jesus."*  "And 
so  I  ordain  in  all  the  churches. "f  "  For  God  is  not 
the  author  of  confusion,  but  of  peace,  as  is  in  all 
the  churches  of  the  saints. "J  Here,  the  same  order 
is  intimated  to  exist  in  all  the  churches.  But  how 
is  God  the  author  of  order  and  peace  in  all  the 
churches  of  the  saints  if  he  has  not  ordered  every 
thing  himself?  If  he  has  left  men  to  choose  their 
form  of  Church  Government,  and  to  make  laws  for 
themselves  in  religious  matters,  could  it  be  said  he 
is  not  a  God  of  confusion  ?  The  confusion  that 
would  exist  on  that  supposition  must  be  boundless 
and  endless.  To  the  Corinthian  Church  the  Apos- 
tle says,  "  We  have  no  such  custom,  neither  the 
churches  of  God."§  Here  the  other  apostolic 
churches  are  exhibited  as  a  model  to  this.  "  Now 
concerning  the  collections  for  the  saints,  as  I  have 
given  orders  to  the  churches  of  Galatia,  even  so  do 
ye. "II  Here  the  example  of  the  churches  of  Galatia 
is  exhibited  as  a  model  to  the  church  at  Corinth. 
"  For  this  cause  left  I  thee  in  Crete,  that  thou 
shouldest  set  in  order  the  things  that  are  wanting, 
and  ordain  elders  in  every  city  as  I  had  appointed 
thee."Tf  Here,  we  see,  that  setting  "  in  order  the 
things  that  are  wanting"  was  not  left  to  his  own 
discretion,  but  he  was  to  act  in  every  thing  as  Paul 
had  appointed.  Titus  had  his  instructions  as  an 
officer  from  his  general.     Can  we  pretend  to  any 


*  1  Thes.  ii.  14.  f  1  Cor.  vii.  17.  j  1  Cor.  xiv.  33. 

2  1  Cor.  xi.  16.  11  1  Cor.  xvi.  1.        '      ^  Titus  i.  5. 


60  INDEPENDENT    OR   DEMOCRATIC 

greater  power  ?  "  Wherefore,  I  beseech  yon,  be  ye 
followers  of  me.  For  this  cause  have  I  sent  to  yon 
Timothy,  who  is  my  beloved  son,  and  faithful  in  the 
Lord,  who  shall  bring  you  into  remembrance  of  my 
ways  which  be  in  Christ,  as  I  teach  everywhere  in 
every  church."*  Here,  the  Apostle's  injunctions  are 
universally  binding  on  all  the  churches,  and  no  one 
is  at  liberty  to  depart  from  his  instructions. 

11.  APOSTOLIC  MODELS  EQUAL  TO  THE  DEMANDS  OP 
EVERY  AGE. 

Is  it  possible  for  a  church  to  exist  and  flourish, 
without  observing  any  other  laws,  rules  or  regula- 
tions ;  without  any  other  oflices,  or  modification  of 
offices ;  without  any  other  discipline  or  sanction  of 
discipline ;  wdthout  any  other  test  of  admission  or 
means  of  preserving  purity,  but  what  are  to  be  col- 
lected from  apostolic  example  and  the  scattered 
information  of  the  New  Testament  ?  If  this  ques- 
tion can  be  answered  in  the  affirmative,  what 
apology  can  men  plead  for  their  innovations  ?  It 
is  said  that  "no  form  of  church  government  could 
answer  for  all  ages,  countries,  and  circumstances." 
This  means,  that  no  form  of  government  could  be 
given  to  suit  the  various  humors  of  carnal  men ; 
t-hat  no  form  could  be  given,  by  which  church  and 
state  might  be  united  under  one  political  system, 
or  under-  every  form  of  civil  government ;  that  the 
simple  apostolic  model,  suited  only  to  the  times  of 
the  Apostles,  was  incapable  of  governing  that  mixed 

«■  1  Cor.  iv.  16,  17. 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  61 

multitude  of  which  a  church  is  composed,  which 
embraces  all  the  inhabitants  of  a  state  or  nation, 
without  regard  to  character.  But  these  are  the 
very  credentials  of  its  Divine  appointment.  It  is 
eminently  calculated  to  govern  Christ's  children, 
who  like  the  Spartan  youth,  have  their  minds 
moulded  to  their  laws  ;  but  the  apostolic  form  will 
always  be  found  to  fail,  where  the  membership  is 
not  of  the  character  of  the  apostolic  churches ;  nay, 
one  impure  member,  if  not  cut  off,  when  detected, 
would  stop  the  harmonious  procedure  of  the  whole 
machiner}^,  as  effectually  as  a  watch  is  stopped  by 
the  accidental  admission  of  a  hair.  The  Apostles 
acted  in  all  things  b}^  divine  command.  The  whole 
arrangement  of  the  apostolic  churches  is  therefore 
the  establishment  of  Christ.  Can  he  be  pleased  by 
a  change  in  his  ordinances  ?  Shall  the  spiritual 
kingdom  of  Christ  change  its  appearance,  its  form, 
its  ordinances,  with  the  fluctuating  opinions  of  the 
world  ;  the  varying  laws  of  temporal  kingdoms  ;  or 
the  caprices  of  carnal  men?  "Now  I  praise  you, 
brethren,  that  ye  remember  me  in  all  things,  and 
keep  the  ordinances  as  I  delivered  them  unto  you."* 

*•  1  Cor.  xi.  2. 


62  INDEPENDENT   OR   DEMOCRATIC 


CHAPTER  IV. 

WHAT   DOES    THE    NEW   TESTAMENT    TEACH    CONCERN- 
ING  CHURCH    GOVERNMENT? 

Having  in  the  preceding  chapters  stated  some 
reasons  to  render  a  Divine  model  of  Church  Govern- 
ment probable ;  having  shown  some  characteristics 
of  that  which  is  likely  to  be  the  scriptural  model; 
and  endeavored  to  establish  the  obligation  of  apos- 
tolic example ;  let  us  now  proceed  to  inquire  what 
the  inspired  volume  actually  teaches  on  this  sub- 
ject. Let  us  never  forget,  as  a  caution,  when  we 
are  interpreting  scripture  texts,  that  they  are  the 
words  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  He  that  forces  them,  to 
make  them  countenance,  or  avoid  discountenancing 
his  system,  is  guilty  of  an  attempt  to  compel  the 
Holy  Spirit  to  speak  a  lie,  and  bear  false  witness. 
How  guilty !  how  infamous  is  the  wretch  that  em- 
ploys or  compels  another  to  perjure  himself  to 
serve  his  interest !  But  how  much  more  criminal 
and  infamous  is  the  man  who  would  deliberately 
put  a  forced  interpretation  on  the  language  of  the 
True  and  Holy  One  !  Let  us  attend  to  the  plain 
testimony  of  the  Divine  Word,  in  its  plain  obvious 
acceptation.  It  is  really  the  interest  of  the  Chris- 
tian, if  he  could  allow  himself  to  think  so,  t»  dis- 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  63 

cover  and  embrace  truth,  though  it  should  deprive 
him  of  his  dearest  earthly  possessions. 

In  pleading  for  the  divine  right  of  any  particular 
form  of  Church  Government,  nothing  is  to  be  admit- 
ted, but  what  is  clearly  found  in  the  Scriptures, 
either  precept  or  example.  Whoever  pretends  to 
have  a  Divine  model  must  produce  it,  without  the 
help  of  conjecture,  or  probabilities,  to  complete  it. 

There  are  weighty  objections  against  imposing 
names  invented  by  men  on  the  things  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  When,  therefore,  the  name  Independent, 
or  Independents,  is  used  for  that  form  of  Church 
Government  instituted  by  the  Apostles  and  those 
who  now  embrace  it,  it  is  not  of  choice,  but  of 
necessity.  The  followers  of  Christ  are  properly 
called  Christians,  Saints,  or  Brethren ;  and  an 
assembly  of  these  for  the  purpose  of  enjoying  the 
ordinances  of  Christ  according  to  his  appointment 
is  called  a  church.  Now  these  words  ought  always 
to  be  used  to  denote  the  same  objects ;  but  it  has 
happened  that  some  of  them  have  been  so  abused 
and  prostituted  to  other  significations,  that  it  is 
impossible  to  use  these  plain  scripture  words  with- 
out obscurity.  The  Apostles  had  no  need  to  dis- 
tinguish the  churches  of  their  times  as  they  are 
now  designated,  for  the}''  were  manifestly  all  alike.* 

*  The  word  "  Congrcgationalist"  is  used  to  designate  the  govern- 
ment which  distinguishes  a  particular  body  of  professing  Christians. 
So  the  word  "  Baptist,"  being  a  contraction  of  the  word  baptized,  is 
used  in  the  same  way,  that  is,  to  distinguish  a  body  of  professing 
Christians,  and  of  necessity,  rather  than  choice;  but  while  the  gov- 
ernment is  Congregational  or  Independent,  it  does  not  so  much  ex- 
press this,  as  the  fact  that  it  is  a  baptized  body. 


64  INDEPENDENT   OR   DEMOCRATIC 

1.    RULE   FOR    SETTLING  PRIVATE    OFFENCES   BETWEEN 
BRETHREN. 

That  the  Government  appointed  by  Christ  is 
Independent,  is  obvious  from  the  rule  he  gave  for 
settling  private  offences  among  his  disciples  :— 
*'  But  if  thy  brother  shall  sin  against  thee,  go  show 
him  his  fault  between  thee  and  him  alone.  If  he 
shall  hear  thee,  thou  hast  gained  thy  brother.  But 
if  he  hear  not,  take  with  thee  one  or  two  more,  that 
in  the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses  every  word 
may  be  established.  And  if  he  shall  neglect  to  hear 
them,  tell  it  to  the  church  ;  and  if  he  neglect  to  hear 
the  church  also,  let  him  be  to  thee  as  a  heathen  and 
a  jniblican."*  He  does  not  say,  tell  it  to  the 
Quarterly  Conference,  the  Yestry,  the  Consistory, 
or  Church  Council,  the  Session,  a  Committee;  or 
the  Annual  or  General  Conference,  or  Assembly, 
or  Council ;  the  Presbj^ter}^  the  Synod,  or  the 
Eldership.  But,  "tell  it  to  the  church,"  "if  he 
neglects  to  hear  the  church  also,"  This  is  very 
plain,  and  cannot  be  misunderstood — if  any  thing- 
is  plain  in  the  New  Testament.  If  it  is  now  in  any 
measure  obscure,  it  has  been  rendered  so,  not  from 
the  scripture  use  of  the  term  church,  but  from  the 
modern  application  of  it.  This  rule  of  our  Lord  in 
private  personal  difficulties  between  his  disciples, 
is  a  most  decisive  recognition  of  the  manhood  of 
every  one  of  them.  And  not  only  this,  it  does  not 
recognize  any  higher  authorit}^  on  earth  among  the 
followers  of  Christ,  than  the  church.     The  church 

♦  Matt,  xviii,  15,  JO,  17,  revised  version,     Americivn  Bible  Union. 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  65 

is  the  last  and  highest  appeal.  But  if  the  church 
is  a  Hierarchy,  a  great  national  body,  or  a  consoli- 
dation of  local  bodies,  this  rule  cannot  be  obeyed. 
"Tell  it  to  the  church."  Had  our  Lord  meant  the 
officers  or  representatives  of  the  church,  he  would 
have  used  words  indicating  what  he  meant.  First, 
it  is  the  offended  and  the  offender  alone  ;  second, 
the  offended  and  one  or  two  other  brethren,  and  the 
offender;  and  lastly,  the  whole  church.  Can  any 
law  or  rule  be  plainer  or  more  specific  ?  Our  Lord 
adds,  in  the  verses  following: — "Whatever  ye  shall 
bind  on  earth  shall  be  bound  in  heaven."  "For 
where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in  my 
name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them."  This  last 
verse  is  evidently  local  in  its  reference,  defines  and 
limits  the  bounds  of  the  word  church,  and  gives 
the  Divine  sanction  to  its  decision.  This  is  clearly 
an  illustration  of  Lidependent  Church  Government. 
It  is  applicable  to  no  other  form. 

2.    USE  AND  APPLICATION    OF    THE  WORD    CHURCH. 

With  this  passage  before  us,  designed  as  it  was 
for  universal  instruction  among  the  disciples  of 
Christ  in  €very  age,  in  which  the  word  church  can 
only  have  a  local  application,  we  start  with  this 
axiom,  that  Christ  meant  some  determinate  thing 
by  the  word  church,  and  that  there  must  be  suffi- 
cient evidence  in  the  Xew  Testament  to  lead  the 
humble,  teachable  inquirer,  into  that  meaning. 
Our  Lord  meant  to  be  understood.  He  spoke, 
therefore,  intelligible  language.  The  word  used  by 
him,  translated  church,  is,  Ekklesia,  and  literally 


66  INDEPENDENT    OR   DEMOCRATIC 

signifies  an  assembly  of  citizens  called  out  from 
others.  Among  the  Greeks,  particularly  the  Athe- 
nians, it  was  used  for  their  popular  assemblies,  or 
public  meetings  of  the  people,  summoned  by  the 
chief  magistrates,  and  in  which  none  but  citizens 
had  a  right  to  sit.  By  inherent  power  it  may  be 
applied  to  any  body  of  men  called  out  and  assem- 
bled in  one  place.  It  never  loses  its  ideas  of  call- 
ing out  and  assembling. 

Such  being  the  origin  and  use  of  the  word,  how 
is  it  applied  in  the  New  Testament  ?  We  do  not 
inquire  how  it  is  used  or  applied  in  the  third,  or 
fourth,  or  tenth  century  ;  or  in  Europe,  or  America; 
but  how  is  it  used  and  applied  by  the  Apostles  ? 
When  used  in  the  New  Testament  in  a  sacred 
sense  as  applicable  to  believers,  it  is  appropriated 
to  a  body  of  saints,  meeting  in  one  place  to  enjo}^ 
the  ordinances  of  the  Gospel ;  or  the  Christian 
community,  embracing  all  the  saints  in  all  locali- 
ties. When  disciples  were  made  and  baptized  in 
any  one  place  or  neighborhood,  they  became  the 
"Ekklesia,"  the  church  of  that  place;  as  "the 
church  at  Jerusalem,"  "the  church  at  Antioch," 
"the  church  at  Ephesus,"  "the  church  at  Phi- 
lippi,"  "the  church  at  Rome,"  etc.  The  aggregate 
of  all  the  disciples — the  saved — the  saints  of  all 
places,  is  the  Ekklesia,  the  church  universal.  This 
latter  application  does  not  in  the  least  destroy,  or 
invalidate  the  intrinsic  idea  conveyed  by  the  word. 
All  tlie  saints  in  heaven  and  on  earth,  are  really 
called  out  from  sinners,  and  are  to  be  assembled 
with  Christ  in  heaven — "raised  up  together,   and 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  Gt 

made  to  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ."* 
Nor  does  it  afford  any  foundation  for  Hierarchical 
Church  Government.  Who  will  presume  to  say 
that  one  portion  of  the  church  universal  has 
greater  authority  than  another?  Manifestly  God 
is  its  onl}^  Ruler  and  Head.  There  is  no  other 
use  of  the  word  church,  as  applied  to  believers, 
in  the  New  Testament.  It  does  not  occur  in  any 
place,  in  which  it  refers  to  a  court,  or  assembly,  or 
conference,  or  synod,  or  church  officers,  or  to  a 
number  of  local  bodies  consolidated  under  one 
human  head  or  government. 

On  what  principle  then,  of  fair  criticism,  can 
such  courts  or  assemblies  of  officers,  having  au- 
thority over  a  single  local  church,  or  a  number  of 
associated  churches,  be  urged  ?  If  there  be  no 
command  for  it,  and  no  example  of  such  assembly, 
either  representative  or  otherwise,  how  can  they 
claim  a  divine  warrant  for  their  existence,  or  in 
any  respect  to  be  an  authoritative  part  of  the  church 
of  Christ  ?  Institutions,  which  have  not  a  name  in 
Scripture  have  not  an  existence  in  Scripture.  A 
church  of  Christ  is  so  called,  because  it  consists 
of  members  called  out  and  separated  from  the 
world  by  the  Word  and  Spirit  of  God.  But  if  an 
authoritative  court  of  church  officers  or  repre- 
sentatives of  several  churches  were  so  called,  it 
would  not  be  because  they  were  called  out  of  the 
world,  but  because  they  were  called  out  from  their 
brethren,  to  legislate  for  and  govern  them.     This 

••:•  Eph.  ii.  6. 


68  INDEPENDENT  OR  DEMOCRATIC 

use  of  the  word  would  be  very  different  from  the 
other,  and  had  our  Lord  instituted  such  a  body  he 
would  have  used  the  word  "  sunklesia, "  an  assem- 
bly of  nobles  and  senators.  When  the  inspired 
writers  speak  of  a  single  assembly  or  body  of  saints 
in  any  one  place  or  neighborhood,  they  call  it  a 
church ;  when  the}'^  speak  of  more  than  one  body, 
they  do  not  call  them  a  church,  but  churches.  Thus, 
when  Paul  writes  to  the  Corinthians,  he  addresses 
"the  church  of  God  which  is  at  Corinth;"*  but 
when  he  writes  to  the  Galatians  he  addresses  "  the 
churches  of  Galatia  ;"f  also,  "  the  church  which 
was  at  Jerusalem;"!  and,  "the  churches  of  God 
which,  in  Judea,  are  in  Christ  Jesus  ;"§  "  the  church 
which  is  at  Cenchrea^"|l  and,  "  the  churches  of 
Asia.""|[  We  read  of  "the  seven  churches  of  Asia,"** 
and  of  a  church  so  small  that  it  is  composed  of  a 
single  family,  or,  at  least,  able  to  find  room  for  its 
meetings  in  a  private  dwelling  ;f  f  of  others  so  large 
as  to  require  several  bishops  or  pastors,JJ  yet  each 
one,  a  church.  The  evidence  is  conclusive ;  the  use 
of  the  word  church  in  the  New  Testament  proves, 
beyond  the  possibility  of  doubt,  that  the  Govern- 
ment of  the  apostolic  churches  was  Independent, 
and,  therefore,  it  is  the  only  divinely  appointed 
Church  Government. 

A  very  clear  corroborative  argument,  to  show  that 
an  individual  worshiping  assembly  of  Christians 

*  1  Cor.  i.  2.  t  Gal.  i.  2  ;   1  Cor.  xvi.  1. 

%  Acts  viii.  1.  §  1  Thcs.  ii.  14  ;    Gal.  i.  22. 

II  Rom.  xvi.  1.        ^  1  Cor.  xvi.  19.       «*  Rev.  i.  4. 

tt  Rom.  xvi.  5 ;  Col.  iv.  15.  JJ  Acts  xx.  17,  28 ;  Phil.  i.  1. 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  69 

and  not  a  representative  body  of  church  officers  or 
members,  or  the  churches  of  a  particular  district, 
was  first  called  a  church,  is  the  circumstance  that 
the  place  of  meeting,  or  house  of  worship,  was  after- 
ward called  a  church.  And  though  this  is  not  a 
scriptural  use  of  th-e  word,  it  shows  its  primitive 
application  when  the  house  received  the  name 
of  the  assembly.  Just  as  Jewish  houses  of  wor- 
ship were  called  synagogues,  from  the  assembling 
of  the  people  therein.  This  is  a  most  unexcep- 
tionable species  of  historic  proof.  It  can  never 
be  biased  and  is  often  the  surest  criterion  of  the 
truth  of  facts. 

3.    ELECTION    OP   AN   APOSTLE   IN   THE    PLACE   OP 
JUDAS. 

In  the  history  of  the  first  Christian  church  in  the 
world,  as  it  appears  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,* 
we  have  a  very  clear  and  satisfactory  exhibition  of 
the  Independent  or  Democratic  principle  in  Church 
Government.  It  is  true,  Hierarchy  was  then  impos- 
sible, except  it  might  have  been  in  the  Apostles  as- 
suming to  act  for  the  whole  church.  But  faithful 
to  the  command  of  Jesus, f  they  did  not  exercise 
power  that  belonged,  inalienably,  to  the  member- 
ship of  the  church.  This  first  illustration  of  Inde- 
pendency is  found  in  the  election  of  an  Apostle  to 
fill  the  vacancy  occasioned  by  the  apostasy  of  Judas. 
In  the  introduction  of  the  business  we  are  told  that 
tiie  church   numbered   one   hundred    and    t^venty 

*  Acts  i.  f  Matthew  xx.  25,  20. 


TO  INDEPENDENT    OR    DEMOCRATIC 

members,  male  and  female,  some  of  whose  names 
are  given.*  Peter  called  their  attention  to  th^  law 
of  God  relating  to  this  vacancy,  and  defined  the 
qualifications  of  an  Apostle. f  But  who  had  au- 
thority to  choose  an  Apostle  ?  Jesus  had  instructed 
them  that  "  where  two  or  three  are  gathered  to- 
gether in  his  name,  there  he  would  be  in  the  midst 
of  them. "J  What  is  this  but  the  divine  sanction  of 
church  action  in  his  name ;  the  voice  of  a  church, 
(not  of  church  rulers,)  the  voice  of  God;  power 
conferred  on  the  bod}^  on  a  church,  to  execute  his 
laws  I  Two  of  their  number  are  found  to  be  quali- 
fied, when,  after  seeking  divine  direction  and  con- 
trol, the  members  of  that  church  vote — exercise 
their  inalienable  right — Matthias  is  the  man  of 
their  choice,  thenceforth  to  be  an  Apostle  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Thus,  at  the  very  beginning  of 
the  new  order  of  things,  as  soon  as  a  church,  as  an 
organic  body  appears  on  the  page  of  histor}^  we 
are  taught  that  its  members  are  equal  hefore  the 
Law  of  Ghriat,  and  that,  even  admitted,  apostolic 
authority  cannot  be  perpetuated  to  prevent  this 
equality,  or,  in  any  wa}^  supersede  it.§  Here,  then 
is  Independency  established  by  divine  authority, 
and  Hierarchy  forbidden. 

4.    THE    ELECTION    OF    DEACONS. 

Soon  after  this,  the  church  at  Jerusalem  received 
large  accessions  to  their  number  from  all  classes 

*-  Acts  i.  13,  14,  15.     t  Acts  i.  20,  21,  22.     %  Matthew  xviii.  20. 
^  Tho  qualifications  of  an  Apostle  set  forth  in  Acts  i.  21,  22,  ren- 
der apostolic  succession  impossible. 


'    CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  Yl 

and  ranks  of  the  people,  rich  and  poor,  male  and 
female,  developing  a  necessity  for  a  new  class  of 
officers,  or,  more  properly,  servants.  Said  the  in- 
spired twelve  "  to  the  multitude  of  the  disciples  :  It 
is  not  reason  that  we  should  leave  the  Word  of 
God  and  serve  tables,  wherefore,  brethren,  look  ye 
out  among  3'ou  seven  men  of  honest  report,  full  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  and  wisdom,  whom  we  may  appoint 
over  this  business.  And  the  saying  pleased  the 
whole  multitude,  and  they  chose  Stephen,  etc., 
whom  they  set  before  the  apostles,  etc."*  Here, 
again,  is  an  illustration  of  the  Independent  or 
Democratic  principle — the  inherent  power  of  the 
people — a  divine  exhibition  the  Independent  form 
of  Church  Government. 

6.    THE   CHURCH    SCATTERED   BY   PERSECUTION. 

Immediately  after  the  election  of  the  seven  dea- 
cons, there  arose  a  "  great  persecution  against  the 
church  at  Jerusalem ;  and  they  were  all  scattered 
abroad  throughout  the  regions  of  Judea  and  Sama- 
ria, except  the  Apostles,"  and  the  Gospel  was  there- 
by carried  to  other  places. f  While  the  disciples 
were  "everywhere  preaching  the  word,"  and  bap- 
tizing believers, J  the  great  leading  persecutor 
was  converted,  and  baptized, §  the  result  of  which 
was,  that  "the  church,  therefore,  throughout  Judea 
and  Galilee,  and  Samaria,  had  peace,  being  built  up 
and  walking  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  in  the 


*  Acts  vi.  2  3,  5,  6.  f  Acts  viii.  1,  4. 

X  Acts  viii.  4.  12.  §  Acts  ix,  5,  18. 


12  INDEPENDENT   OR   DEMOCRATIC 

consolation  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  was  multiplied."* 
The  author  has  here  followed  the  revised  version 
of  the  Amef ican  Bible  Union.  When  he  first  read 
it,  he  thought  it  might  have  been  a  mistake  of  the 
printer,  or  that  the  revisers  had  overlooked  the 
sense  of  the  passage.  But  on  careful  examination, 
he  found  the  new  translation,  the  only  one  that 
could  be  made,  in  accordance  with  the  facts.  He 
was,  therefore,  inclined  to  yield  the  point,  and 
admit  that  this  passag'e,  thus  rendered,  was  favor- 
able to  a  Hierarchy ;  that  here  was  certainly  a 
church,  whose  bounds  included  several  districts  of 
a  country.  But  on  farther  investigation,  he  could 
find  no  evidence  to  sustain  this  view.  On  the 
contrary,  up  to  that  period  no  church  had  been 
organized  except  at  Jerusalem.  The  members  of 
the  church  at  Jerusalem  w^ere  scattered  abroad, 
but  retained  their  connection,  while  they  laid  the 
foundation  of  other  churches,  in  other  places. 
They  baptized  converts,  and  when  that  persecution 
had  ceased,  these  converts,  thus  initiated  into  the 
kingdom  of  Christ,  organized  churches  in  the  several 
places  in  which  they  dwelt. f  Paul  himself,  though 
initiated  into  the  kingdom  of  Christ  by  baptism, 
did  not  connect  himself  with  any  church,  till  he  came 
to  Jerusalem,  some  three  years  after  his  conversion 
and  baptism. J  As  part  of  this  history,  the  return 
of  Paul,  and  his  admission  to  membership  in  the 
oliurch  at  Jerusalem,  is  worthy  of  note,  as  an  illustra- 


*  Acts  ix.  31,  revised  version.    American  Bible  Union, 
t  Gal  i.  22.  X  Acts  ix.  26.     Gal.  i.  18. 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  73 

tion  of  the  Independent  or  Democratic  principle,  so 
steadily  maintained  in  the  appstolic  churches.  He 
was  known  in  Jerusalem,  by  the  church,  as  a  bitter, 
relentless  persecutor.  They  had  heard  of  his  con- 
version. He  came  and  sought  admission  to  their 
fellowship  ;  but  they  were  afraid  of  him,  and  would 
not  believe  that  he  was  a  disciple.  He  did  not  seek 
to  join  the  Apostles — he  was  already  an  Apostle* — 
but  "  the  disciples, "  the  church.  When  he  convinced 
the  church,  by  the  testimony  of  Barnabas,  that  he 
was  a  true  disciple,  "  he  was  with  them  coming  in 
and  going  out  at  Jerusalem  ;"f  they  received  him 
to  tlieir  fellowship.  It  was  the  act  of  the  church. 
Though  an  Apostle  and  the  equal  of  the  other 
Apostles — in  many  respects  their  superior — he 
could  not  become  a  member  of  the  church  at  Jeru- 
salem, without  the  consent  of  the  church.  Paul 
afterwards  became  identilied  with  the  church  at 
Antioch.J 

6.    THE    FIRST    COUNCIL   AT    JERUSALEM. 

The  history  of  the  so  called  "  first  ecclesiastical 
council,"  recorded  in  the  fifteenth  chapter  of  the 
Acts  of  the  Apostles,  is  supposed  to  favor  the 
Hierarchical  form  of  Church  Government.  Let  us, 
therefore,  examine  this  portion  of  scripture,  and 
see  if,  indeed,  there  is  any  thing  in  it  authorizing, 
or  even  suggesting  this  form. 

Certain  teachers  had  gone  to  Antioch  "  from 
Judea,  who  taught  the  brethren,  and  said.  Except 


*  Gal.  i.  17,  18,  19.  t  Acts  ix.  28.  J  Acts  xiii.  1. 

7 


Y4         INDEPENDENT  OR  DEMOCRATIC 

ye  be  circumcised  after  the  manner  of  Moses,  ye 
cannot  be  saved."  From  the  24th  verse  it  appears 
that  if  not  actually  sent  out  by  the  church  at  Jeru- 
salem to  preach  the  gospel,  they,  at  least,  wished  it 
to  be  so  understood.  The  church  at  Jerusalem,  in 
their  letter,  acknowledge  that  they  went  out  from 
them ;  and  do  not  deny  their  being  sent  by  them  ; 
but  affirm  that  they  had  no  such  doctrine  in  charge 
from  them. 

Paul  and  Barnabas  opposed  this  new  doctrine. 
After  much  disputation,  the  church  "  determined 
that  Paul  and  Barnabas,  and  certain  others  of  them, 
should  go  up  to  Jerfisalem,  to  the  Apostles  and 
elders,  about  this  question."  It  was  not  a  matter 
that  concerned  the  ministry  merely,  but  the  entire 
membership  at  Antioch;  and  that  they  did  not 
submit  to  the  teaching  of  their  own  elders  and  min- 
istry, nor  the  ministry  of  those  who  came  from  Je- 
rusalem, but  appealed  to  inspired  authority,  is  the 
strongest  evidence  that  they  did  not  recognize  any 
human  authority  as  supeiHor  to  themselves.  We 
have  no  intimation  of  any  official  body — quar- 
terly conference,  consistory,  church  council,  session, 
or  vestr^^ — in  this  procedure,  as  first  taking  cogni- 
zance of  the  matter,  and,  being  unable  to  decide  it, 
that  an  appeal  was  taken  to  a  higher  court.  Men 
were  chosen,  and  brouglit  or  sent  on  their  way  by 
the  church  at  Antioch ;  they  were  sent  to  do  a  spe- 
cific work ;  they  had  no  discretionary  power ;  they 
were  messengers,  a  committee,  instructed  to  inquire 
of  those  competent  to  answer,  "Is  it  a  law  of 
Christianity  that  the  Gentiles  must  be  circumcised, 


CHURCH  GOVERNMENT.  Y5 

and  keep  the  law  of  Moses,  in  order  to  be  saved?" 
Observe  the  reLation  of  these  two  churches.  The 
church  at  Antioch  did  not  send  to  inquire  of  the 
church  at  Jerusalem.  They  regarded  themselves 
as  having  equal  authority  with  that  body.  Here  is 
the  Independency  of  the  apostolic  churches:  But 
let  us  follow  this  committee  of  the  church  at  Anti- 
och, to  Jerusalem.  Do  we  find  an  ecclesiastical 
council,  conference,  synod,  or  other  body,  composed 
of  ministers,  or  representatives  of  churches,  within 
a  certain  district,  holding  their  annual  convocation  ? 
Nothing  of  the  kind.  "And  when  they  were  come 
to  Jerusalem,  they  were  received  by  the  church  and 
the  Apostles  and  elders." 

In  the  presence  of  the  church  at  Jerusalem,  the 
question  was  discussed  by  members  of  that  church, 
and  two  of  the  Apostles,  Peter  and  James.  During 
the  discussion,  Paul  and  Barnabas,  by  permission 
of  the  body  (v.  12),  declared  "  what  miracles  and 
wonders  God  had  wrought  among  the  Gentiles  by 
them."  This  became  the  basis  of  the  concluding 
argument  by  the  Apostle  James,  and  we  hav^e  the 
result  in  the  following  words  :  "  Then  pleased  it  the 
Apostles  and  elders,  with  the  whole  church,  to  send/ 
chosen  men  of  their  own  company  to  Antioch  with 
Paul  and  Barnabas,  namely,  Judas,  surnamed  Bar- 
sabas,  and  Silas,  chief  men  among  the  brethren. 
And  they  wrote  lelLera  by  them  after  this  manner : 
The  Apostles,  and  elders,  and  brethren,  send  greet- 
ing unto  the  brethren  which  are  of  the  Gentiles,  in 
Antioch,  and  Syria,  and  Cilicia,  etc.  It  seemed 
good  to  us,  being  assembled  with  one  accord,  to  send 


76  INDEPENDENT    OR    DEMOCRATIC 

chosen  men  unto  yon,  etc.  We  have  sent,  therefore, 
Judas  and  Silas,  who  shall  also  tell  you  the  same 
things  b}'  mouth.  For  it  seemed  good  to  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  to  us,  to  lay  upon  you  no  greater  burden 
than  these  necessary  things :  That  ye  abstain  from 
meats  offered  to  idols,  and  from  blood,  and  from 
things  strangled,  and  from  fornication :  from  which 
if  ye  keep  yourselves,  ye  shall  do  well.  Fare  ye 
well."  Judas  and  Silas  were  the  committee  of  the 
church  at  Jerusalem,  to  convey  this  answer  to  Anti- 
och.  Like  the  committee  from  Antioch,  Judas  and 
Silas  had  no  discretionary  power.  "  So,  when  they 
were  dismissed,  they  came  to  Antioch  ;  and  when 
they  had  gathered  the  multitude  together,  they  de- 
livered the  epistle." 

It  may  be  asked,  was  not  that  a  council  at  Jerusa- 
lem ?  Yes.  But  who  composed  it  ?  Was  it  Hier- 
archical, as  arc  the  Councils,  Conferences,  Conven- 
tions, Assemblies,  Synods,  Presbyteries,  or  Elder- 
ships of  modern  times  ?  It  was  not  a  representative 
body.  It  was  not  composed  of  delegates  from 
different  churches  and  neighborhoods.  It  was  com- 
posed only  of  the  Apostles,  and  elders  and  mem- 
bers of  the  church  at  Jerusalem.  The  persons 
sent  by  the  church  at  Antioch,  were  not  mem- 
bers of  it.  They  had  been  sent  to  ask  advice  ; 
and  this  meeting  of  the  Apostles,  and  elders,  and 
members  of  the  church  at  Jerusalem,  by  direction 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  decided  the  question,  and  sent 
two  of  their  number  to  carry  their  decree  to  An-' 
tioch.  What  the  Apostles  had  power  to  do  in  this 
case,  is  not  questioned.     What  they  did,  is  a  matter 


CHURCH     GOVERNMENT.  YY 

of  history.  But  the  church  at  Jerusalem  was  in- 
volved in  this  question.  Those  judaizing  teachers 
had  gone  out  from  them,  and  had  represented  them 
falsel3^  Moreover,  it  was  evident  that  there  were 
some  among  them,  who  held  the  same  doctrine.  It 
wa^  necessary,  therefore,  that  the  question  should  be 
decided  in  the  church,  for  themselves,  as  well  as  for  the 
Gentile  converts  throughout  the  world.  The  appeal 
was  to  Inspiration.  The  Holy  Spirit  gave  his  deci- 
sion, and  henceforth  the  members  of  the  church 
at  Jerusalem,  and  all  other  disciples,  must  abide  by 
that  decision.  This  answer,  the  words  and  manner 
of  it,  and  mode  of  communicating  it,  indicate  most 
clearly  that  these  churches  were  not  only  distinct, 
and  Independent  organizations,  but  were  both 
equally  dependent  on  inspiration ;  that  they  had 
no  king  but  Christ,,  and  no  law  but  his  word.  The 
distinguishing  features  of  this  council  are  not  to  be 
found  in  any  (nor  ever  can  be  found  in  any)  ecclesi- 
astical assembly  of  church  rulers  on  earth.  The 
right  and  duty  of  the  Apostles  to  make  laws,  as  in- 
spired men,  for  the  churches,  or  the  world,  gives  no 
right  to  uninspired  men  to  enact  laws  for  a  churcli 
of  Christ,  and  there  is  absolutely  nothing  in  the 
history  of  this  transaction,  that  in  the  least  degree 
favors  the  Hierarchical  principle  in  Church  Gov- 
ernment. On  the  contrar}^,  we  are  here  taught, 
that,  even  in  an  individual  church,  whatever  is 
of  public  concernment  to  a  church,  is  not  to  be 
done  in  secret,  by  the  officers  alone,  or  a  few  of  the 
members  to  the  exclusion  of  the  rest ;  but  that  all 


78         INDEPENDENT  OR  DEMOCRATIC 

the  members,  including  the  officers,  are  equal  before 
the  law  of  Christ. 

t.    THE   DISCIPLINE   OP   THE   APOSTOLIC    CHURCHES. 

Not  only  does  the  origin,  and  common  and 
sacred  use  of  the  word  by  which  the  first  Christian 
organizations  were  distinguished,  viz :  church,  and 
churches,  together  with  the  facts  of  their  history 
set  forth  in  the  preceding  sections,  prove  their 
Independent  character,  but  the  laws  and  regulations 
given  by  the  Apostles  for  their  direction,  put  the 
matter  beyond  doubt.  The  whole  discipline  is  com- 
mitted to  the  individual  church.  Apostolic  injunc- 
tions, which  cannot  be  obeyed  in  any  other  than  an 
Independent  church,  imply  the  necessity  of  such 
a  church.  Now  of  this  sort  are  all  the  rules  relating 
to  the  administration  of  discipline  in  the  first 
churches.  Hence  Paul  sa3^s  to  the  church  at  Rome: 
"  Him  that  is  weak  in  the  faith  receive  ye."*  "  Now 
I  beseech  you  brethren  mark  them  which  cause 
divisions  and  offences  contrary  to  the  doctrine 
which  ye  have  learned  ;  and  avoid  them."f  These 
commands  can  only  be  fulfilled  by  a  church  of  the 
Independent  order  ;  and  they  indicate  very  clearly 
that  the  church  at  Rome  was  such  at  that  time. 
The  epistle  to  the  Corinthians  is  addressed  to  "the 
church  of  God  which  is  at  Corinth  ;"J  and  the  power 
of  excommunication  is  expressly  vested  in  the 
church  and  not  in  the  officers  :  ''  In  the  name  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  when  ye  are  gathered  together, 

*  Rom.  i.  7.   Rom.  xiv.  1.  f  Rom.  xvi.  17.  |  1  Cor.  1,  2. 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  79 

and  my  spirit,  with  the  power  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  to  deliver  such  an  one  to  Satan,  etc."  "  Purge 
out  the  old  leaven  that  ye  may  be  a  new  lump." 
"  Therefore  put  away  from  among  ^''ourselves  that 
wicked  person."  "  I  wrote  unto  you  in  an  epistle 
not  to  company  with  fornicators  ;  yet  not  altogether 
with  the  fornicators  of  this  world,  or  with  the  cov- 
etous, or  extortioners,  or  with  idolaters ;  for  then 
must  ye  needs  go  out  of  the  world.  But  now  I 
have  written  unto  you  not  to  keep  company,  if  any 
man  that  is  called  a  brother  be  a  fornicator,  or 
covetous,  or  an  idolater,  or  a  railer,  or  a  drunkard, 
or  an  extortioner ;  with  such  an  one  no  not  to  eat. 
For  what  have  I  to  do  to  judge  them  also  that  are 
without?  do  ye  not  judge  them  that  are  within? 
But  them  that  are  without  God  judgeth.  There- 
fore put  away  from  among  yourselves  that  wicked 
person."*  Here,  the  power  to  judge  of  the  applica- 
tion of  discipline  is  expressly  stated  to  be  the  pre- 
rogative of  the  church.  "Do  not  ye  judge  them  that 
are  withitiV  But  in  a  congregation  of  the  Hier- 
archical order,  the  power  of  discipline  is  in  the 
board  of  officers,  and  if  the  congregation  would  pre- 
sume to  interfere  with  the  action  of  their  rulers, 
it  would  be  rebellion.  Nay,  the  whole  private 
membership  could  not  put  away  from  their  fellow- 
ship the  drunkard,  the  distiller,  brewer,  or  vender 
of  intoxicating  liquors,  or  even  the  grossest  adul- 
terer, if  the  board  of  officers  would  think  proper  to 
retain  him.     Nay  more,  the  board  of  officers,  sus- 

•••  1  Cor.  V.  cbap. 


80  INDEPENDENT    OR    DEMOCRATIC 

tainecl  by  the  voice  of  the  entire  membership,  could 
not  put  away  from  their  fellowship,  any  one,  if  the 
higher  judicatory  decide  against  their  decree.  Why 
have  an  appeal,  if  the  power  to  revoke  or  sustain 
the  decree  of  a  lower  court  does  not  exist  ?  There- 
fore, a  church  which  cannot  obey  an  apostolic 
injunction,  cannot  be  apostolically  organized. 

Excommunication,  the  highest  act  of  discipline,  is 
so  peculiarly  the  business  of  the  whole  church  that 
Paul  did  not  attempt  it  by  virtue  of  apostolic  au- 
thority, but  committed  it  to  the  saints  themselves, 
that  there  might  be  an  example  and  model  to  all 
future  ages ;  except,  when  he  delivered  Hymenseus 
and  Alexander  to  Satan,  that  they  might  learn 
not  to  blaspheme.  No  one  can  doubt  apostolic 
authority.  But  an  Apostle  exercising  this  extra- 
ordinary power  does  not  authorize  uninspired  min- 
isters or  church  officers  to  do  it.  Now,  this  power 
can  only  be  exercised  by  a  church  "  gathered  to- 
gether in  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  with 
the  power  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  as  conferred 
in  Matt,  xviii.  18,  20.  Paul  directed  the  church  at 
Rome,  the  church  at  Corinth,  and  the  church  of 
the  Thessalonians,*  to  exercise  this  power,  and  inas- 
much as  he  did  not  exercise  it  in  behalf  of  the 
Galatian  churches,  but  onl^^  said,  "  I  would  they 
were  even  cut  off  who  trouble  you,"t  it  is  a  fair 
inference  that  he  exercised  it  only  where  there  was 
no  church,  when  it  was  necessary  for  the  good  of 
the  cause. 

*  2  Thess.  iii.  6,  14.  t  G^al.  v.  12. 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  81 

Not  only  is  the  power  to  receive  members  who 
may  be  qualified,  and  to  excommunicate  the  dis- 
orderly, to  be  exercised  by  the  membership,  but 
also  the  power  to  forgive  and  restore  to  fellowship 
the  erring  and  fallen  brethren  who  give  evidence 
of  repentance. "^  It  is  evident,  also,  from  Matt,  xviii. 
lT-20,  and  from  1  Cor.  vi.  chap.,  that  a  church  is  to 
be,  and  is,  the  final  judge  and  highest  authority 
recognized  on  earth  in  all  personal  difficulties  be- 
tween its  members.  In  these,  and  other  instances, 
the  instructions  and  commands  given,  necessarily 
imply,  that  the  several  churches  to  which  they  were 
addressed,  were  Independent ;  for  to  no  other  could 
they  have  been  applied  ;  in  no  other  could  they  have 
been  executed.  Nor  can  they  now  be  executed  in 
any  other. 

It  will  not  be  a  sufficient  answer  to  this,  to  say  that 
the  apostolic  discipline  may  be  executed  in  spirit 
and  substance,  though  not  by  those  apostolically 
appointed.  The  thing  must  not  only  be  done,  but 
done  as  commanded.  The  command  must  not  only 
be  obeyed  in  its  primary  object,  but  in  the  appointed 
manner,  by  the  divinely  appointed  agents.  Here 
we  have  not  only  the  thing  commanded  to  be  done, 
but  the  persons  commanded  to  do  it.  We  may  as 
well  say,  that  we  need  not  execute  apostolic  disci- 
pline, as  that  it  may  be  done  b}^  those  not  apostoli- 
cally appointed.  The  judges  are  here  as  clearly 
appointed  as  the  thing  to  be  judged.  To  fulfil  a 
law,  we  must  not  only  do  the  thing  the  law  requires, 

*2  Cor,  ii.  6,  7,  8;  Gal.  vi.  1. 


82  INDEPENDENT    OR  DEMOCRATIC 

but  in  the  manner  the  law  directs.  The  law  of  the 
State  directs  the  death  of  the  murderer,  but  does 
not  warrant  any  but  those  legally  appointed  to  try, 
condemn,  and  execute  him.  The  King  convokes 
his  parliament ;  but  the  senators,  intent  on  their 
rural  amusements,  or  the  improvement  of  their 
estates,  send  their  stewards.  They  meet ;  the}'- 
enact  laws  ;  they  send  them  to  the  King.  Will  he, 
will  the  constitution,  recognize  such  legislators  ? 
And  will  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  recognize  the 
proceedings  of  unconstitutional  bodies  he  has 
never  authorized,  and  which  have  no  place  in  his 
laws  ?  Shall  they  be  excused,  who,  on  account  of 
business,  amusement,  or  indolence,  neglect  their 
duty  as  members  of  the  church  of  Christ?  They 
have  no  more  right  to  delegate  the  performance  of 
the  duty  of  discipline,  than  of  any  other  duty  they 
OAve  to  society,  to  their  familj^,  or  to  God.  Let  it 
never  be  forgotten,  that  the  RIGHTS,  DUTIES  and 
PRIYILEGES  of  all  saints,  in  their  several  spheres 
of  action,  are  INALIENABLE.  Would  Christians 
let  any  one  persuade  them  that  they  were  to  be 
present  in  heaven  by  representation  only  ?  It  would 
be  as  easy  to  prove  this,  as  that  they  might  delegate 
their  duties  as  saints  and  church  members,  to 
others,  members  or  not.  In  all  the  New  Testament 
there  is  not  a  shadow  of  a  representative,  or  any 
other  uninspired  authoritative  body,  in,  or  over 
any  church,  or  churches  of  Christ.  To  attend  to 
the  affairs  of  a  church,  is  the  privilege  of  all  its 
members.  It  argues  ingratitude,  contempt,  and 
indifference,  to  neglect,  or  transfer  that  privilege 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  83 

to  others.  It  is  also  a  duty,  and  each  member  is 
answerable  for  the  personal  discharge  of  it.  Every 
member  is  commissioned  to  attend  to  the  affairs 
of  his  Master's  kingdom  in  concert  with  his  breth- 
ren. If  any  neglect  their  duty,  or  pretend  to 
delegate  others  to  represent  them,  they  are  guilty 
of  disobedience  to  Christ,  and  indifference  to  his 
laws,  interest,  and  honor ;  and  to  alter  the  consti- 
tution of  his  church,  or  to  assume  the  right,  by 
invasion,  or  to  accept  by  delegation,  to  act  for 
it,  is  treason  and  usurpation  ;  it  is  to  act,  not  only 
without,  but  contrary  to,  the  King's  command. 
But  the  very  idea  of  transference  of  duty,  in  re- 
ligious matters,  is  absurd.  One  cannot  think, 
judge,  or  act  for  another  with  respect  to  religious 
things.  If  he  can  in  one  thing,  he  can  in  another — 
and  who  will  prescribe  the  limit  ?  Who  can  dele- 
gate another  to  do  his  repenting,  praying,  believing, 
or  being  baptized?  If  lie  cannot  in  these,  how 
can  he  in  any  other,  especially  when  in  the  whole 
New  Testament  there  is  not  even  a  hint  that  such 
delegation  was  practiced,  or  even  probable. 

Not  only  is  discipline  and  all  church  power 
committed  to  the  individual  church,  but  every 
direction,  command,  and  exhortation  is  suited  to 
such  alone.  There  are  laws  sufficient  in  the  New 
Testament  for  the  government  and  direction  of 
an  Independent  church,  but  not  a  single  rule,  or 
precept,  or  example,  for  the  government  of  a  number 
of  churches  consolidated.  Not  a  single  rule,  precept, 
or  example  for  an  Official  Board  or  Quarterly  Con- 
ference,  Yestry,  Session,  Church  Council,  Consis- 


84         INDEPENDENT  OR  DEMOCRATIC 

tory ;  a  Classis,  Presbytery,  Eldership,  Synod,  Con- 
ference, Assembly,  Convention, — General,  Annual, 
or  otherwise — is  to  be  found  in  the  New  Testament. 
All  its  church  rules  and  examples  are  applicable  to 
individual  congregations  only.  Such  churches 
have  either  precept  or  example  for  every  case  that 
can  possibly  occur  within  their  jurisdiction.  They 
are  not  obliged  to  proceed  a  single  step  on  doubtful 
ground.  Thus  the  epistles  to  the  several  churches 
are  addressed  to  individual  churches,  and  speak 
uniformly,  either  of  individual  duties,  or  reciprocal 
duties  of  church  members,  and  of  the  duties  of  the 
elders  to  the  flock,  and  of  the  flock  to  the  elders. 
Now  if  there  were,  or  were  to  be,  national  churches, 
with  the  bodies  that  pertain  to  them,  is  it  not 
strange  that  we  have  no  rules  for  their  government 
or  procedure ;  that  neither  elders  or  other  members 
have  direction  as  to  their  relation  to  them  ?  The 
individual  flock  is  called  on  to  obey  their  pastors, 
but  never  is  either  flock  or  shepherd  commanded  to 
obey  a  superior  assembly  of  any  kind  nor  one 
shepherd  to  obey  another  as  a  "  superior  in 
office."*  The  Apostles  frequently  and  earnestly 
inculcate  love  among  church  members,  and  warn 
them  against  schism  and  division.  Not  a  word, 
liowever,  do  they  say  as  to  the  dut}'  of  union  among 
several  churches  under  the  same  government,  or 
earthly  head,  nor  the  sin  of  one  church  separating 
from  another.     This  is  plain  proof  that  they  were 

-  See  The  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  Methodist  Episcopal  Disci])line, 
United  Brethren  Discipline,  and  Evangelical  Aesociation's  Discipline. 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  85 

not  then  externally  joined.  What  Paul  says  in 
1  Cor.  i.  10,  has  reference,  and  can  only  be  applica- 
ble to  members  of  an  individual  church  going  into 
cabals  and  parties  in  the  same  church.  It  has  no 
reference  to  one  church  separating  from  another, 
or  to  an  individual  withdrawing  from  one  church 
and  joining  another.  On  the  contrary,  this  is  not 
only  not  condemned  here,  but  in  no  other  part  of 
God's  word ;  but  when  such  separation  takes  place, 
for  valid  scriptural  reasons,  it  is  of  incalculable 
advantage  to  individuals,  to  churches,  and  com- 
munities. We  cannot  apply  justly,  to  consolidated 
churches,  that  which  is  addressed  only  to  an  indi- 
vidual church.  Either  the  Scriptures  are  lame 
in  their  silence,  or  such  consolidated  churches  or 
Hierarchies  are  unscriptural. 

8.    APOSTOLIC    HINTS. 

There  are  various  other  hints  which  will  occur  to 
the  reader,  who  is  accustomed  to  mine  into  the 
Word  of  God,  and  weigh  each  particle  as  more  pre- 
cious than  gold.  Truth  is  ever  consistent,  and 
that  opinion  which  does  not  gain  strength  from  a 
progressive  acquaintance  with  the  Scriptures,  is  not 
likely  to  be  a  scripture  truth.  That  hypothesis 
that  forbids  a  minute  attention  to  the  most  casual 
and  indirect  circumstance,  divinely  recorded,  can- 
not be  well  founded.  Thus  in  2  Cor.  iii.  1,  the 
Apostle  reasons  that  he  did  not,  like  others,  need 
commendatory  letters  either  to,  or  from,  the  church 
at  Corinth.  Now  the  manner  of  the  Apostle's 
speaking  would  have  been  improper,  if  the  church 


86         INDEPENDENT  OR  DEMOCRATIC 

at  Corinth  had  been  under  a  session,  church  coun- 
cil, or  other  Hierarchical  bod3^  He  speaks  of  com- 
raeudatorj^  letters  as  being  necessary  to  some,  as 
coming  from  a  church,  but  not  to  him.  In  Hier- 
archies, such  letters  to  ministers  come  from  the 
particular  ruling  body  of  which  they  are  members, 
as  from  the  Conference,  S3aiod,  Presbytery,  etc., 
and  in  the  case  of  a  private  member,  from  the 
Church  Council,  Session,  Yestry,  or  the  minister  in 
charge.  But  when  Apollos  was  disposed  to  go  into 
Achaia  he  received  commendatory  letters  from  "  the 
brethren"  at  Ephesus  "  to  the  disciples." 

The  whole  strain  of  the  letters  of  Paul  to  the 
churches,  shows  them  to  have  been  Independent. 
He  uniformly  addresses,  praises,  or  blames  the 
church  itself,  and  never  a  church  council,  session, 
or  official  board  of  any  sort,  large  or  small.  In 
1  Cor.  V.  and  xi.  chapters,  he  blames  the  whole 
membership  of  that  church,  with  respect  to  the  in- 
cestuous person,  and  their  irregularities  in  eating 
Lord's  supper.  Had  this  church  been  under  the 
control  of  a  Quarterly  Conference,  Church  Council, 
Session,  or  Vestry,  the  membership  could  not  have 
been  blamed  ;  for  they  would  have  had  no  authoritj'-, 
in  that  case,  to  put  away  such  wicked  person. 
The  authority  rests  with  the  governing  power,  and 
that,  the  Apostle  would  have  blamed.  If  improper 
l^ersons  are  admitted  to  membership  and  commu- 
nion in  a  church,  in  which  all  the  power  of  receiving 
members  is  in  the  hands  of  the  officers,  what  member 
blames  himself  for  it  ?  If  he  disapproves  of  it, 
he  exclaims  against  the  officers.     He  bears  none  of 


CIIURCTI    GOVERNMENT.  87 

the  responsibility.  In  like  manner,  when  onr  Lord 
addressed  the  seven  churches  of  Asia  in  the  Book 
of  Revelation,  he  praised  or  blamed  them  indivi- 
dually. He  did  not  censure  one  for  the  errors  of 
another,  though,  with  great  severity,  he  repriman- 
ded each  church  for  the  errors  of  even  a  part  of 
itself.  He  charged  the  whole  church  as  guilty  in 
retaining  an  erroneous  or  profligate  member. 

If  these  churches  had  been  consolidated  as  a  Hier- 
archy, they  would  all  have  been  chargeable  with  the 
faults  and  defects  of  each,  as  much  as  a  whole 
individual  church  is  chargeable  with  the  errors  of 
one  of  its  members.  Neither  did  he  call  on  one 
church  to  reform  another,  but  each  to  reform  itself. 
Therefore  these  churches  were  Independent. 


88  INDEPENDENT    OR    DEMOCRATIC 


CHAPTER  y. 

THE   ORDER   OF   LAY-RULING    ELDERS   IN    THE    PRESBY- 
TERIAN   CHURCH.       (LUTHERAN,  ETC.) 

Says  Dr.  Miller :  "  Presbyterianism  is  a  term 
which  primarily  refers  to  the  form  of  Church 
Government.  That  is  a  Presbyterian  church,  in 
which  the  Presbyterj^  is  the  radical  and  leading 
judicatory:  in  which  teaching  and  ruling  presby- 
ters or  elders  have  committed  to  them  the  watch- 
care  of  the  whole  flock ;  in  which  all  the  ministers 
of  the  word  and  sacraments  are  equal ;  in  which 
ruling  elders,  as  the  representatives  of  the  people, 
form  part  of  all  ecclesiastical  assemblies,  and  par- 
take in  all  authoritative  acts,  equally  with  the 
teaching  elders ;  and  in  which,  by  a  series  of 
judicatories,  rising  one  above  the  other,  each 
church  is  under  the  watchcare  of  its  appropriate 
judicatory,  and  the  whole  body,  {national,  he 
means,)  by  a  system  of  review  and  control,  is  bound 
together  as  one  homogeneous  community."  "In 
the  Presbyterian  church,  the  government  and  dis- 
cipline of  each  congregation  is  committed  to  a 
bench  of  elders,  consisting  of  eight  or  ten  of  the 
most  pious,  enlightened,  wise,  prudent,  and  grave 
members  of  the  church.  They  constitute,  with  their 
pastor  at  their  head,  a  judicial  body,  who  maintain 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  89 

an  ofiicial  inspection  over  the  members  of  the 
chnrcli,  and  deliberately  sit  in  judgment  on  all 
those  delicate,  and  yet  momentous  cases,  which  are 
connected  with  receiving,  admonishing,  rebuking, 
suspending,  excommunicating,  and  dismissing  the 
nuMubers  of  the  flock,  committed  to  their  care."* 

in  quoting  thus  large]}'  from  Dr.  Miller,  Presby- 
terians are  permitted  to  speak  for  themselves.  But 
do  these  "  ecclesiastical  assemblies" — Presb^^teries, 
Synods,  and  General  Assembliesf — hold  their  meet- 
ings simply  as  ''judicatories?"  Are  their  "  au- 
thoritatiA^e  acts"  only  those  of  "  review  and  con- 
trol?" Are  they  not  also  legislative  bodies? 
Saj's  the  "Confession  of  Faith:"  "It  belongeth 
unto  Synods  and  Councils  ministerially  to  determine 
controversies  of  faith  and  conscience ;  to  set  down 
rules  and  directions  for  the  better  ordering  of  the 
public  worship  of  God,  and  government  of  his 
church."  Dr.  Miller  makes  their  acts  "  authorita- 
tive." The  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication  pub- 
lish and  recommend  to  every  minister  and  elder  a 
work  entitled  "A  collection  of  the  Acts,  Deliver- 
ances, and  Testimonies  of  the  Supreme  Judicatory 
of  the  Presbyterian  church,  from  its  origin  in 
America  to  the  present  time,  with  notes  and  docu- 
ments, explanatory  and  historical:  constituting 
a  complete  illustration  of  her'  polit}^  faith,  and 
history.      By  the    Rev.    Samuel    Baird,    8vo.,    etc. 

■■■'  Miller  on  Prcsbytcrianisni  and  Baptism,  pp.  8,  9,  59.  Presby- 
terian Board  of  Publication. 

t  Also  Church  Councils,  Consistories,  Classes,  Synods,  local  and 
general,  of  the  Lutheran  and  Reformed  churches. 


90  INDEPENDENT    OR  DEMOCRATIC 

This  work  contains  a  full  exhibition  of  all  that  the 
church  has,  either  by  precedent  or  act,  decided, 
upon  the  principles  of  her  faith  and  order,  and  the 
rules  of  her  discipline,"  etc.*  Thus  we  are  left  with- 
out doubt;  the  Presbyterian  judicatories  are  (the 
highest  at  least)  legislative  in  their  character. 

The  passage  of  scripture  regarded  as  establishing 
the  orders  of  preaching  or  teaching  elders,  and 
ruling  or  lay  Elders,  is  1  Tim.  v.  11:  "Let  the 
elders  that  rule  well,  be  counted  worthy  of  double 
honor,  especiall3^  they  who  labour  in  word  and  doc- 
trine." It  is  said,  "  Here  we  find  a  class  of  elders 
distinctly  spoken  of,  who  '  ruled  well,'  but  did  not 
labor  in  word  and  doctrine,  "f  Here,  then,  ac- 
cording to  Presbyterian  interpretation,  is  an  evident 
distinction  between  Teaching  and  Ruling  Elders. 
There  are  elders  to  teach,  and  elders  to  rule.  Let 
us  examine  this  interpretation. 

1.  CHURCH  RULERS  NOT  LEGISLATORS. 

Allowing  the  Presbyterian  explanation  of  this 
text,  in  its  utmost  latitude,  what  does  it  make? 
Granting  that  there  should  be  a  body  of  lay  elders 
to  join  with  the  preaching  elders  in  ruling  the  church, 
does  this  authorize  them  to  legislate,  to  pass  "  ac^s," 
make  laws,  rules,  and  regulations  for  a  congregation, 
or  a  number  of  congregations  associated  ?  Their 
being  church  rulers  does  not  make  them  church 
legislators.     On  the  supposition  that  they  are  rulers, 

*  See  the  advertisement  of  the  work — and  the  work  itself. 
f  Miller  on  Presbyterianism  and  Baptism,  p.  60. 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  91 

their  business  would  be  to  carry  the  laws  of  Christ 
into  eftect,  not  to  make  laws. 

Neither  would  this  give  any  countenance  to  a 
Session,  exclusively  judging  of  the  application  of 
discipline,  and  engrossing  the  whole  power  of  the 
church  into  their  own  hands.  Whether  the  elders 
of  a  congregation  be  all  pastors,  or  some  ruling, 
and  others  teaching  elders,  to  neither  would  be- 
long the  sole  right  of  judging,  when  the  laws  of 
Christ  were  to  be  applied.  If  a  member  is  accused, 
the  whole  church  would  judge  of  the  case,  according 
to  the  laws  of  Christ :  and  if  found  guilty,  the 
business  of  the  church  rulers  would  be  to  execute 
the  law  of  Christ,  which  the  church  has  judged  ap- 
plicable. But  these  elders,  as  part  of  the  "  Supreme 
Judicatory,"  not  only  make  laws,  but  are  judge, 
jury,  and  executive  ;  the  most  tyrannical  procedure 
conceivable.  In  their  "  authoritative  acts  of  review 
and  control,''^  the  brethren,  the  people,  are  not  con- 
sulted. They  may  lodge  complaint  against  an  of- 
fender, and  appear  as  witnesses,  that  is  all ;  and  if 
au}^  one,  not  an  elder,  is  accused  and  arraigned,  he 
cannot  be  tried  by  a  jury  of  his  peers.  It  is  very 
clear,  according  to  their  own  interpretation  of  this 
text,  that  there  is  no  foundation  for  the  legislative, 
or  exclusive  judicial  authority  of  the  elders,  either 
as  a  church  session,  or  higher  court. 

2.  IF  RULERS,  THEN  THEY  ARE  THE  PASTORS. 

Allowing  from  this  text  an  order  of  ruling  elders, 
distinct  from  teaching  elders,  it  gives  no  counte- 
nance to  a  body  of  what  are  called  "  lay  elders ;" 


92  INDEPENDENT   OR   DEMOCRATIC 

tliat  is,  men  not  invested  with  the  pastoral  office. 
Such  ruling  elders  would  be  as  really  pastors, 
bishops,  ministers,  etc.,  as  the  preaching  elders. 
The  office  of  a  preaching  elder  would  not  be  supe- 
rior to  that  of  a  ruling  elder.  The  ruling  elder 
would  be  pastor  of  the  church,  invested  with  the 
pastoral  character,  as  fully  as  the  preaching  elder. 
The  only  legitimate  conclusion  that  could  be  drawn 
from  this  interpretation  is,  that  in  every  church 
there  should  be  two  orders  of  ministers,  the  one  for 
ruling,  the  other  for  preaching :  and  that  neither  of 
these  have  the  right  to  interfere  in  the  department 
of  the  other.  The  preaching  elder  is  not  to  rule, 
any  more  than  the  ruling  elder  is  to  preach.  The 
preaching  elder  should  not  preside  in  the  Session : 
na}^,  he  should  have  no  seat  in  it,  any  more  than  the 
ruling  elder  should  have  a  seat  in  the  pulpit. 

Moreover,  from  this  interpretation,  the  higher  ju- 
dicatories— Presbyteries,  Synods,  and  General  As- 
semblies— should  be  composed  of  ruling  elders,  and 
no  others.  All,  then,  that  can  be  fairly  inferred 
from  this  interpretation  is,  that  in  the  pastoral 
office,  there  are  two  distinct  departments,  which 
should  not  interfere  with  each  other ;  that  those  ap- 
pointed to  preach,  should  preach ;  and  those  ap- 
pointed to  rule,  should  rule;  which,  instead  of  serv- 
ing the  Presbyterian  sj^'stera,  would  overthrow  it 
from  the  foundation.  If  we  should  allow  that  there 
is,  in  this  text,  an  order  of  ruling  elders,  distinct 
from  preaching  elders,  such  ruling  elders  would  be 
pastors,  or  bisliops,  and'notliing  like  the  elders  of  a 
Presbyterian  church.     Nay,  the  ruling  elders  would 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  93 

be  more  emineutly,  if  not  exclusively,  the  bishops, 
or  overseers.  Oversight  belongs  rather  to  the  ruler, 
than  to  the  preacher. 

3.  CAN  TWO  ORDERS,  SO  DIFFERENT,  AS  PREACHING  AND 
RULING  ELDERS,  BE  CALLED  BY  THE    SAME  NAME? 

Is  it  possible  that  two  orders  so  different  a-s  that 
of  ministers  and  ruling  elders,  should  be  called  in- 
variably in  the  New  Testament  by  the  same  name  ? 
Is  this  like  the  perspicuity  of  the  word  of  God  ?  Is 
it  probable  that  when  the  New  Testament  writers 
emploj^  so  many  words  to  denote  the  same  office  : 
as  bishop,  elder,  pastor,  etc.,  they  could  not  afford 
a  distinct  name  for  the  office  of  lay  or  ruling 
elder,  if  it  was  apostolic  ?  Is  this  agreeable  to  the 
use  of  any  language  on  any  subject  ?  Especially  is 
it  agreeable  to  the  genius  of  the  philosophic  lan- 
guage of  Greece,  where  every  shade  of  difference  in 
idea  is  marked  by  a  different  word,  expressive  of 
it  ?  The  English  reader  of  the  most  common 
understanding  must  see,  that  is  impossible  for  the 
Greek  word  "  presbuteros,"  to  denote  two  so 
widely  different  officers  from  the  use  of  our  own 
word  elder.  The  Greek  word  "presbuteros"  is  ex- 
actly translated  by  our  word  elder,  and  in  the 
estimation  of  Presbyterians,  must  include  both 
preaching  and  lay  elder  ;  yet  to  avoid  confusion  they 
use  this  word  elder  exclusively  to  designate  the 
ruling  or  lay  elders.  What  Presbyterian  speaks 
promiscuously  of  ministers  and  elders  by  the  com- 
mon name  of  elder?  Or  who  would  understand 
him  if  he  did  ?     Yet  such  undefined,  indeterminate 


94  INDEPENDENT    OR    DEMOCRATIC 

language  they  do  not  scruple  to  put  into  the  mouth 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.  If  ever  they  call  their  minister 
elder,  they  must,  to  prevent  obscurity,  prefix  the 
word  "  Za?/,"  or  "ruling"  to  it,  when  they  do  not 
mean  the  ministry.  Now  if  we  cannot  talk  in  plain 
English  of  Presbyterian  ministers  and  elders  by  the 
same  name,  is  it  possible  that  the  New  Testament 
should  be  guilty  of  the  same  obscurity  ? 

4.    CAN    THEIR    QUALIFICATIONS    BE    INCLUDED  IN    THE 
SAME    DESCRIPTION? 

If  there  had  been  two  orders  so  distinct  as  that 
of  preaching  and  ruling  elders,  in  the  apostolic 
churches,  is  it  possible  that  their  offices  and  quali- 
fications should  be  included  in  the  same  description? 
In  describing  the  office  of  elder  and  his  qualifica- 
tions, no  notice  is  taken  of  two  orders,  one  as  re- 
quiring a  diflerent  kind  of  qualification  from  the 
other.  They  are  called  on,  without  exception,  to 
''feed  the  flock,"  taking  the  oversight,  etc.,"  and  all 
are  required  to  be  "  didaktikos,"  "  apt  (or  fit)  to 
teach,"  which,  as  Dr.  Campbell  has  observed,  could 
hardlj'-  be  the  case  if  some  of  them  were  to  have  no 
concern  in  teaching.  It  is  not  said  that  the  preach- 
ing elder  must  have  such  and  such  qualifications, 
and  the  ruling  elder  different  qualifications,  and 
each  do  so  and  so,  according  to  their  respective 
offices  ;  but  "  the  elder  ;"  which  must  include  every 
distinction  of  elder.  See  1  Pet.  v. :  1  Tim.  iii.  v.  14, 
V.  11,  Tit.  i. ;  Acts  xx.  17-36.  All  Presbyterians 
hold  that  the  words  elder  and  bishop  are  used  in- 
terchangeably in  the  New  Testament,  and  designate 


CHURCH     GOVERNMENT.  95 

one  and  the  same  office  ;*  so  that  if  there  be  two 
orders  of  elders,  there  must  be  three  distinct  orders, 
in  every  scripturally  organized  church.  There  is 
incontestibly  an  oi'der  of  deacons.  If  it  be  said  tlie 
ruling  elder  is  the  same  as  the  deacon  it  must  be 
proved.  No  man  has  authority  to  combine  any  two 
offices  in  one,  any  more  than  to  make  a  new  order 
over  the  rest.  A  scripture  deacon  is  an  otiicer  in  a 
church  of  Christ,  for  managing  its  temporal  affairs 
and  attending  to  the  wants  of  its  poor.  He  has  no 
concern  in  the  ruling  of  the  church,  more  than  the 
rest  of  the  members ;  on  the  contrary  as  the  term 
"diakonos''  (waiting  servant)  signifies,  he  is  the 
servant  of  the  church.  In  the  Presbyterian  church 
lay  elders  are  rulers  of  the  church.  In  the  higher 
courts  they  are  regarded  by  some  as  the  representa- 
tives of  the  people  ;  b}^  others  as  the  representatives 
of  their  own  order ;  it  is  therefore  absurd  to  make 
the  ruling  elder  and  deacon  one  and  the  same  office, 
seeing  they  extend  the  office  of  ruling  elder  so  much 
further.  If  the  ruling  elder  is  the  same  as  the  dea- 
con let  him  do  the  deacon's  office  only.  Besides,  if 
he  be  the  deacon  why  is  he  called  elder  ?  Has  not 
the  father  the  best  right  to  name  the  child  ?  Is  not 
the  Spirit  of  Ilim  who  instituted  the  office,  the  best 
judge  of  the  most  fitting  name  ?  Especially,  as 
the  name  elder  was  appropriated  to  another  order 
in  tlic  church,  why  was  that  name  chosen  ?  If  men 
thought  they  could  give  a  more  proper  and  decent 
name  to  this  oflice  than  the  Spirit  of  God  had  done 

*  Miller  on  Presb.  and  Bap.,  pp.  12,  17. 


96  INDEPENDENT     OR   DEMOCRATIC 

— which  is  not  a  very  modest  supposition — why  did 
they  take  that  w^hich  he  had  assigned  to  pastors  ? 
The  elders  and  deacons  are  officers  distinct  in  them- 
selves, and  separated  in  the  New  Testament. 
(Pliil.  i.  1.) 

5.    ALL   ELDERS   WORTHY    OF    SUPPORT. 

The  verse  following  (18th)  requires  ns  to  under- 
stand the  word  translated  "honor,"  in  the  ITth 
verse,  as  signifying  honorable  maintenance.  (Suf- 
ficient, OR  AMPLE   PASTORAL   SUPPORT.)      The  ApOS- 

tle  here,  in  quoting  from  the  law  of  Moses,  respect- 
ing the  ox  employed  in  treading  out  the  corn,  and 
from  the  words  of  our  Lord,  with  respect  to  those 
engaged  in  preaching  his  word,  proves  that  all  the 
elders  are  worthy  of  this  ("  time^^)  honorable  main- 
tenance. The  argument  drawn  from  this  18th  verse, 
goes  directly  to  show  that  all  those  elders  spoken 
of,  are  worthy  of  honorable  maintenance.  It  does 
not,  indeed,  require  that  a  church,  in  every  situation, 
is  to  support  all  its  laborers.  Some  may  not  need 
it ;  or  a  church  ma}^  not  be  able  to  support  more 
than  one  pastor.  There  is  nothing  to  prevent  it 
from  using  the  labors  of  some  who  support  them- 
selves by  lawful  industry  ;  but  the  passage  un- 
doubtedly implies  that  all  the  elders  are  worth}^  of 
maintenance,  and  if  they  need,  and  the  church  can 
give,  it  is  their  right.  Do  Presbyterians  think  it 
tlieir  duty  to  support  their  elders,  or  will  any  one 
say,  that,  because  of  their  labors  in  the  church,  they 
are  worthy  of  such  maintenance?  If  not,  they 
cannot  be  the  elders  of  whom  the  Apostle  speaks. 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  97 

Besides,  the  ISth  verse  proves,  incontcstibly,  that 
the  elders  spoken  of  in  the  Itth  verse,  have  the 
same  pastoral  character,  and  are  employed  in  the 
same  work;  all  are  "treaders  out  of  the  corn,'* 
and  all  are  "laborers  worthy  of  reward."  In  what 
manner  do  the  ruling,  or  lay  elders  of  the  Presb}^- 
terian  church  (or  any  other  church)  *'  tread  out 
the  corn?"  In  what  manner  do  the  most  conscien- 
tious of  thorn  "labor"  so  as  to  be  "worthy  of 
reward?" 

Should  it  be  said  that  the  illustration  in  the 
18th  verse  applies  onl3'  to  the  latter  part  of  the 
Itth  verse,  it  is  a  sufficient  answer  to  say,  that 
besides  the  necessity  of  referring  it  to  the  whole 
verse,  the  texts  quoted  by  the  Apostle  would  not 
be  relevant  in  that  view.  They  go  to  prove  the  pro- 
priety^ of  support  in  general,  and  not  a  superiority 
of  support. 

6.    BUT    ONE    ORDER    OF   ELDERS. 

Hitherto  this  text  has  been  treated  as  if  it  did 
create  two  orders  of  elders,  and  even  on  that  sup- 
position, that  it  constituted  two  orders  of  pastors 
in  every  church,  and  not  a  separate  order  of  what 
are  called  ruling  elders.  But  it  neither  proves  nor 
admits  a  distinction  of  order  among  the  ciders 
spoken  of;  nor  does  any  other  text  in  the  New 
Testament.  The  distinction  is  not  between  ruling 
elders  and  preaching  elders  ;  but  between  those  whcf 
discharge  the  office  well  in  general,  and  those  who 
arc  particularly  employed  and  distinguished  for 
talents  and  labor,  in  that  difficult,  important,  and 


98  INDEPENDENT    OR   DEMOCRATIC 

laborious  branch  of  office,  the  preaching  continually 
to  public  assemblies.  In  ever}^  perfectly  organized 
apostolic  church,  there  was  a  plurality  of  elders  or 
pastors  of  different  gifts.  (See  Acts  xiv.  23  ;  xv.  23  ; 
XX.  11 ;  Phil.  i.  1 ;  Titus  i.)  Each  of  these  sustained 
the  whole  pastoral  office  or  character,  and  might 
occasionally  be  employed  in  any  part  of  it,  though 
usually  employed  in  the  department  for  which  he 
was  best  fitted. 

The  advantages  which  this  plurality  of  pastors 
afforded  to  the  churches  are  obvious  and  admirable. 
They  enjoyed  a  diversity  of  gilXs  ;  and  if  any  of 
their  elders  were  absent,  sick,  or  should  die,  or,  for 
some  time,  they  could  not  procure  or  support  as 
many  as  were  necessary,  the}''  were  not  without 
pastoral  care.  Churches  which  have  not  this  plu- 
rality of  pastors,  are  not  aware  of  the  disadvan- 
tages under  which  they  labor.  At  the  same  time, 
it  may  be  remarked,  that  churches  which  have  a 
plurality  of  elders  or  pastors,  do  not  know  how  to 
use  them.  They  do  not  assign  to  each  the  peculiar 
work  for  which  he  is  best  qualified,  and  thus  their 
plurality  of  elders  is  rather  suited  to  the  indolence 
of  the  laborer,  than  the  edification  of  the  church. 
This  being  the  case,  the  reason  of  the  injunction  of 
the  text  is  obvious,  and  important.  All  such  elders 
"  are  worthy  of  honorable  maintenance  ;"  those  who 
are  distinguished  in  their  office,  have  a  right  to  a 
double  portion ;  especially  those  who  are  peculiarly 
and  usually  emplo3'ed  in  preaching.  This  requires 
peculiar,  and  perhaps  rarer  talents ;  much  more 
time,  study,  and  expense,  to  qualify  them  for  the 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  99 

office ;  has  much  greater  labor  and  fatigue  ;  incurs 
more  expense  by  frequent  excursions  ;  exposes  much 
more  to  public  censure  and  odium  ;  and  demands 
much  more  intense  and  constant  application  to  fur- 
nish the  mind,  so  as  to  be  "a  workman  that  need 
not  be  ashamed,  rightly  dividing  the  word  of  truth." 
To  discharge  this  part  of  the  office  in  a  proper 
manner,  requires  a  life  solely  devoted  to  it. 

But  do  we  not  read,  "  Let  the  elders  who  rule 
well,"  etc.?  Are  they  not  to  rule?  The  word 
translated  "  rule,"  is  ^^ iwoestotes,''^  from  "p/'o- 
isiemi,^^  (to  set  before.)  ''In  Titus  iii.  8,  14,  it  is 
used  by  Paul  to  represent  that  self-control  which 
enables  a  Christian  to  '  maintain'*  the  habit  of  good 
works."  "P?'oes^o.s',"  is  rather  a  military,  than  a  civil 
officer;  a  commander  in  the  field,  than  a  president 
of  an  assembly.  ^'Froidros,^^  would  be  the  better 
word  for  a  president  of  an  assembl3^  Accordingly, 
in  the  Athenian  Council  of  500,  the  seven  of  the 
Prytanes  chosen  by  lot  to  preside  every  week,  were 
called  "  Proidroi,^^  and  the  president  of  the  day 
was  called  "Epistates.^^  But  this  is  a  too  peaceful 
and  inactive  office  to  give  a  name  to  Christ's  offi- 
cers. They  are  never  so  called  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment. 

"  Proestos^^  is  a  word  which  fully  expresses  their 
arduous,  dangerous,  and  honorable  office.  It  signi- 
fies an  officer  who  goes  before  his  men,  and  stands 
in  the  front  of  the  ])attle.  He  encourages  them  by 
his  example,  and  exhortations,  and  leads  them  into 

*  "  To  take  the  lead."    Revised  version.    American  Bible  Union. 


100  INDEPENDENT   OK   DEMOCRATIC 

action.  The  elder  in  the  church  of  Christ,  like  a 
military  officer,  trains  and  disciplines  his  troops ; 
supplies  them  with  wholesome  provisions ;  instructs 
them  in  the  will  of  their  King,  whose  laws  he  makes 
known  as  the  rules  of  their  conduct ;  and  prepares 
them  for  battle  by  his  public  preaching.  The  word 
translated  ''  rule,^^  in  this  verse,  is  not,  therefore,  to 
be  referred  to  any  one  part  of  the  xMstoral  office, 
hut  to  the  office  in  gene7^al.  That  it  refers  to  the 
office  in  general,  is  evident  from  1  Thess.  v.  12, 
where  the  same  persons  who  are  said  to  labor  among 
them,  and  admonish  them,  are  also  called  " 2^to- 
isamenous.^'*  It  is  indeed  a  matter  of  astonish- 
ment, that  any  one  familiar  with  the  Greek  Testa- 
ment should  regard  "  proestotes^^  as  referring  to 
an  order  of  inferior  preachers.  There  is  not  a 
higher  word  in  the  New  Testament  to  denote  the 
pastoral  office.  They  are  Christ's  military  officers. 
For  this  reason,  in  Heb.  xiii,  IT.  Paul  calls  them 
*^  egoumenois,^^  (military  leaders.)  But  what  fit- 
ness, or  likeness  to  military  leaders,  is  the  office 
of  lay  elder?  The  sense  of  the  verse  may  be 
illustrated  by  a  simile  :  "  Let  the  Kings  who  rule 
well,  be  accounted  worthy  of  double  honor,  es- 
pecially those  who  distinguish  themselves  as  pro- 
tectors of  religious  liberty."  Here,  "rule  well," 
refers  to  the  whole  kingly  office,  and  the  word, 
"especially,"  distinguishes  a  particular  department 
of  the  duty  of   a  King.     "Let  virtuous  and   dis- 

-•■■  Preside — take  the  lead — are  over.     Rovi^cd  version.    American 
Bible  Union. 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  101 

tlnguislied  legislators  be  esteemed  worthy  of 
double  honor,  especially  those  who  labor  for  the 
abolition  of  the  slave  trade."  Who  would  infer 
from  this  that  members  of  a  legislative  bod}^  were 
each  confined  to  a  particular  department.  Each 
member  has  the  right  to  speak  and  vote  on  all 
subjects,  though  his  time  and  talents  may  be  chiefly 
employed  on  his  favorite  subject. 

In  looking  at  the  grammatical  construction  of  this 
Averse  we  see  that  "  oikopiontes^^  has  "oikalosproe states 
2:)rei<huteroi,''^  and  not  merely  '' preshuteroi,^^  for  its 
antecedent:  ''  Let  the  loell  ruling  elders  be  counted 
worthy  of  double  honor,  especially  they  (those  loell 
ruling  elders)  who  labor  in  word  and  teaching." 
If  a  general  after  a  victor}^  should  write  to  the 
Secretary  of  War:  "The  officers  merit  the  highest 
praise,  especially  the  general  officers,"  he  would  write 
sense.  But  how  ridiculous  to  say  :  "  The  subaltern 
officers  merit  the  highest  praise,  especially  the 
general  officers."  The  interpretation  of  this  text 
which  makes  it  authority  for  an  order  of  lay  elders, 
is  exactly  like  this  latter  example,  and  would  make 
the  text  say:  "Let  the  ruling  elders  he  counted 
worthy  of  double  honor,  especially  the  preaching 
elders."  "  Malista^''  (especially)  is  properly  used 
when  a  part  is  distinguished  out  of  the  whole ;  or, 
one  out  of  a  number.  Compare  this  passage  with 
2  Tim.  iv.  13,  "  Bring  with  you  the  cloak,  and  the 
books,  especiall}^  the  parchments."  Here  the 
generic  word  books  includes  the  parchments  as  a 
particular  kind  of  books  he  desired  him  to  bring. 


102        INDEPENDENT  OR  DEMOCRATIC 

How.ridiculous  to  have  said,  "  Bring  the  cloak,  espe- 
cially tlie  parchments." 

Thus  granting  Presbyterians  their  own  interpreta- 
tion of  1  Tim.  V.  IT,  and  that  it  fully  establishes  an 
order  of  ruling  or  lay  elders,  who  are  not  pastors,  it 
has  been  conclusively  shown,  that  even  this  does 
not  give  them  authority  to  judge  in  all  matters  for 
the  church  or  congregation.  Even  in  this  case,  the 
whole  church  should  judge,  and  these  officers  carry 
their  decision  into  execution.  Again,  that  granting 
the  exclusive  management  of  church  affairs  to  these 
elders  gives  them  no  authority  to  legislate,  be- 
cause the  whole  church,  or  the  united  voice  of 
all  the  churches  on  earth,  have  no  right  to  make 
the  slightest  alteration,  amendment,  or  addition, 
with  respect  to  the  laws  of  Christ's  church. 
Further,  that  granting  a  distinction  of  order  in 
the  elders  to  be  established  by  this  verse,  it  would 
make  two  orders  of  pastors,  and  not  a  distinct 
order  of  ruling  or  lay  elders.  And,  lastly,  that  a 
distinction  of  order  of  any  kind  among  elders,  is 
neither  necessary,  probable,  nor  possible  from  this 
verse,  (1  Tim.  v.  IT,)  nor  indeed  from  any  other 
part  of  the  New  Testament.  It  supposes  a  plurality 
of  pastors  in  every  perfectly  organized  church,  who, 
having  different  gifts,  should  be  usually  emplo^^ed 
in  that  department  for  which  each  is  best  qualified ; 
that  there  should  be  a  gradation  of  support  accord- 
ing to  talents,  zeal,  and  diligence ;  and  that  the 
highest  is  due  to  those  who  are  distinguished  by 
constant  "labor  in  word  and  doctrine."  This 
plurality  of  pastors  is  called  "the  Presbytery,"  or 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  103 

"Eldership"  (1  Tim.  iv.  14).  The  modern  signifi- 
cation or  use  of  these  words,  as  consisting  of  a  con- 
vocation of  ministers  and  representatives  (ruling 
elders)  of  the  congregations  of  a  whole  district,  is 
not  known  in  the  New  Testament,  nor  in  the  first 
ages  of  Christianity. 

If,  therefore,  God  has  not  instituted  or  authorized, 
either  by  precept  or  example,  an  order  of  ruling 
elders  in  any  of  his  churches,  who  will  presume  to 
institute  such  an  order,  perpetuate  it,  or  assume  its 
prerogatives  ;  and  especially,  when  he  has  forbidden 
it,*  and  denounced,  against  all  such  assumption  of 
authority  over  his  people,  most  awful  penalties  ?f 

•  Matt.  XX.  25,  26.;  xxiii.  8-11.  f  2  Thess.  ii. ;  Rev.  xxii.  18. 


104  INDEPENDENT    OR   DEMOCRATIC 


CHAPTER  YL 


OBJECTIONS   ANSWERED. 


1.    "TOO    MANY    SECTS    ALREADY." 

It  is  said  "there  are  too  many  sects  alread}',  and 
we  should  endeavor  to  unite  those  alread}^  formed." 
This  is  true.  There  are  too  many  sects,  and  it  is 
our  duty  to  endeavor  to  unite  Christians  in  all 
things.  But  how  is  this  to  be  done  ?  Is  it  by  each 
party  proposing  to  throw  €iwa,y  a  part  of  what  they 
regard  as  the  truth,  and  embrace  a  little  of  what 
they  consider  erroneous,  that  they  may  splice  up  a 
worldly  union?  Is  it  to  be  accomplished  by  the 
church  rulers  of  different  sects  meeting  to  compare 
their  differences,  like  the  leaders  of  a  great  political 
party  ?  Is  it  by  such  propositions  as  this  :  "  I  will 
give  up  so  much,  do  you  give  up  so  much,  and  we 
will  meet?"  Is  this  the  scriptural  way  to  bring 
about  union  and  lessen  the  number  of  sects  ?  Is  it 
not  rather,  for  each  to  appeal  to  the  Word  of  God, 
and  meet  on  that  common  ground  ?  Should  not 
the  language  be  :  "  We  cannot  all  be  right,  let  us  then 
tr^'-  our  systems  b}^  the  standard  of  truth,  adopt 
whatever  it  recommends,  and  reject  whatever  it 
condemns  ?"  Truly  it  is  a  very  modest  way  of 
reasoning,  that  because  there  are  so  many  sects 
already,  there  is  no  room  for  introducing  the  model 


CIIURCn   GOVERNMENT.  105 

■which  Christ  left  us  in  the  apostolic  churches! 
When  Christians  are  brought  to  feel  it  their  duty 
to  cease  from  man,  and  renounce  ever}^  standard  but 
the  Bible,  they  will  not  be  long  in  uniting.  Every 
union  that  is  attempted  or  effected  on  any  other 
basis,  is  not  of  God,  and  cannot  stand. 

2.    "  DANGER   OF   SKEPTICISM." 

It  is  said,  that,  "  to  call  in  question  the  opin- 
ions of  our  forefathers,  and  scrutinize  them  so 
severely,  will  excite  a  spirit  of  innovation,  which 
will  lead  to  skepticism."  It  is  a  very  astonishing 
thing  that  the  habit  of  searching  the  Word  of  God, 
relying  implicitly  on  it,  and  comparing  all  human 
opinions  with  this  standard,  must  lead  to  skepti- 
cism. As  well  might  it  be  said,  that  a  habit  of 
trusting  God  will  lead  to  distrusting  him  I  The 
Scriptures,  then,  are  to  blame  for  commending  the 
Bereans  "for  searching  the  Scriptures  daily,  whether 
these  things  were  sol"  If  the  reformers  of  the 
IGth  century  had  been  afraid  of  these  consequences, 
they  never  would  have  dared  to  question  the  ancient 
usages  of  their  fathers,  and  to  have  condemned 
them  by  the  Word  of  God.  Xever  can  any  hurt 
arise  from  searching  the  Scriptures,  and  a  habit  of 
being  regulated  by  them.  "  To  the  law  and  to  the 
testimony,  etc." 

"But  may  there  not  be  extremes  in  this  ?" 
it  is  asked.  Yes,  but  these  extremes  do  not  con- 
sist in  comparing  every  human  opinion,  about 
Divine  things,  with  the  Word  of  God ;  in  reject- 
ing every  tittle  of  what  is  contrary  to  this  stand- 


106  INDEPENDENT   OR   DEMOCRATIC 

arc! ;  and  adopting  the  merest  minutia  of  what  is 
there  revealed.  To  run  into  extremes  here,  must 
be  to  go  farther  than  the  Scriptures.  While  we 
keep  on  tliis  ground,  we  cannot  advance  too  far. 
In  searching  the  Scriptures,  on  every  subject,  there 
is  great  need  of  humility,  and  a  consciousness  of 
our  own  notliingness  in  the  sight  of  the  Infinite 
God.  If  ever  we  begin  the  search  with  a  desire  to 
go  beyond  others,  and  have  the  honor  to  be  more 
sharp-sighted  than  those  who  preceded  us,  we  shall 
certainly  err.  The  natural  pride  of  the  human 
heart  will  show  itself  in  various  ways,  and  it  is  not 
strange  that  it  should  sometimes  lead  good  men  into 
singularities.  The  Scriptures  are  plain,  but  it  is 
only  "  the  Spirit"  that  can  "lead  us  into  all  truth." 
In  searching  the  Scriptures  for  the  mind  of  Grod, 
we  should  never  neglect  to  ask,  not  formally, 
but  earnestly  and  continually,  for  the  guidance 
of  that  heavenly  conductor.  O,  what  prayer  !  what 
self-abasement  1  what  a  thirst  after  truth !  what 
self-denial,  are  necessary  in  those  who  would  ad- 
vance in  the  knowledge  of  Divine  things !  If  we 
depend  on  our  own  superior  sagacity ;  if  we  prize 
not  the  smallest  scripture  truth  as  more  precious 
than  rubies,  and  are  not  read}'-  to  give  up  the  dear- 
est earthl}''  possessions  and  connections,  rather  than 
part  with  it ;  if  we  have  not  simplicity  of  view,  and 
a  single  eye  to  the  glory  of  God,  it  will  not  be 
strange  if  we  go  astray  in  onr  search.  But  if  we 
arc  willing  to  receive  the  truth  at  the  greatest  risk, 
and,  conscious  of  our  weakness,  incessantly  and 
importunately    crave   the   direction    of    the    Holy 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  107 

Spirit,  the  God  of  truth  will  not  suffer  us  to  be  led 
astray.  While,  therefore,  we,  like  the  noble  Bere- 
ans,  search  the  Scriptures  for  ourselves,  let  us  not 
be  high-minded,  but  humbl}'  wait  at  the  feet  of  Jesus, 
to  learn  wisdom  from  his  lips. 

3.    "GOVERNING    BODIES    PRESERVATIVE." 

It  is  alleged,  that,  "  by  having  some  governing 
bodies,  as  Conferences,  Councils,  Synods,  etc.,  etc., 
they  are  better  able  to  repress  heresy,  preserve 
purit}^  of  doctrine,  and  authoritatively  settle  dis- 
putes between  individuals  and  congregations,  etc." 
This  objection  has,  in  part,  been  anticipated  in 
Chapter  II,  It  ma}^  not  be  amiss  to  spend  a  little 
more  time  in  considering  it  in  this  place.  It  is  per- 
tinent to  ask,  how  have  these  bodies  the  power 
claimed  ?  Is  it  by  force,  or  persuasion  ?  If  it  is 
by  persuasion,  then  the  Independents  enjoy  it  in  its 
utmost  latitude.  If  it  is  by  force,  then  the  Gospel 
disclaims  it ;  Christ  abhors  it ;  it  is  inconsistent 
with  the  whole  letter  and  spirit  of  the  Gospel. 
This  third  objection  becomes  more  definite  in  sajdng 
that,  "  In  the  multitude  of  counsellors  there  is 
safety ;  that  several  congregations  must  have  more 
wisdom  than  one ;  and  that  an  assembly  of  learned 
men  must  be  better  qualified  to  transact  church 
business,  than  an  ignorant  multitude."  This  rea- 
soning miglit  have  force,  if  there  was  any  thing  left 
for  the  wisdom  of  man  to  do.  Generally,  Christians 
are  the  "weak  things  of  the  world,"  and,  of  all 
men  living,  arc  tlie  least  qualified  for  the  arduous 
duty   of  legislation.     But   God    has   left   no   such 


108  INDEPENDENT   OR   DEMOCRATIC 

thing  to  be  done  by  either  the  learned,  or  the  un- 
learned. E  veiy  necessary  law  and  direction  are  given, 
and  nothing  more  is  necessary  than  to  judge  of  their 
application,  to  which  the  most  ordinary  capacity  is 
equal,  in  the  use  of  the  appointed  means,  and  under 
the  promised  guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Poor, 
despised  Cliristians  would,  indeed,  be  out  of  place 
in  any  of  the  so-called  church  judicatories.  But 
the  meanest  and  most  ignorant,  are  able  to  judge  of 
any  case  of  discipline  that  can  occur  in  Christ's 
house ;  for  it  is  said,  "  They  shall  all  be  taught  of 
God."*  The  reasoning  of  Paul  is  conclusive  on 
this  point.  He  teaches  that  even  the  weaker  saints 
in  an  individual,  local  church,  are  capable  of  judg- 
ing, not  merely  of  the  spiritual  matters  of  a  church, 
but  also  of  settling  civil  disputes  of  the  brethren. 
In  the  sixth  chap,  of  1st  Corinthians,  we  are  taught 
that  "  the  saints" — not  the  church  officers,  or  min- 
isters ;  not  the  rich  saints,  or  the  learned  saints, — 
but  simply  "the  saints,  shall  judge  the  world,"  and 
also  "angels,"  "How  much  more  the  things  of 
this  life  ?"  "  If  ye,  then,  have  judgment  of  things 
pertaining  to  this  life,  set  them  to  judge  who  are 
least  esteemed  in  the  church."  We  are  not  to  sup- 
pose from  this,  that  a  church  is  always  to  select 
"the  least  esteemed"  for  the  arbitration  of  civil 
differences.  The  spirit  of  the  passage  is  this :  Dif- 
ferences among  brethren  should  be  settled  by  arbi- 
tration of  the  church,  and  not  by  the  world,  or 
persons    outside    of    the    church.      Some   of   the 

-  John  vi.  45. 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  109 

Corinthians  had  transgressed  this  rule  by  api^ealing 
to  the  civil  law,  and  had  thus  shown  that  they  did  not 
regard  any  of  their  brethren  fit  for  that  business. 
The  Apostle  is  excited  at  this,  that  those  who  were 
to  judge  wicked  men  and  angels,  as  assizors  with 
Christ  in  the  great  day,  were  unfit  to  judge  in  such 
comparatively  trivial  matters;  and,  to  show  that  he 
regarded  all  Christians  as  qualified  for  this  business, 
he  bid  them  choose  from  among  themselves,  even 
those  who  were  accounted  the  weakest.  As  if  he 
had  said,  "  To  show  you  that  thc}^  are  wise  in  whom 
the  Spirit  of  God  dwells,  let  '  the  least  esteemed' 
brethren  be  singled  out  on  any  emergency,  and 
they  will  wisely  determine  the  matter."  If,  therefore, 
•the  weakest  brethren  are  qualified  to  decide  in 
matters  of  property,  without  appealing  to  the  su- 
perior learning  or  wisdom  of  a  Synod,  Presbytery, 
Conference,  or  other  oflftcial  board  of  so-called 
church  rulers,  nay,  without  appealing  to  the  civil 
law,  much  more  are  they  qualified  to  judge  of  every 
thing  in  the  discipline  of  a  church  of  Jesus  Christ. 

4.    "  HIERARCHIES     HAVE    DONE    MUCH    GOOD." 

It  is  asked,  "  Have  not  these  Hierarchies  done 
much  good  in  the  world?"     Some  of  them  have 

done    INFINITE    AND    INCALCULABLE     HARM.       But    tO 

answer  the  question,  let  us  ask  another :  Was  it  the 
Hierarchies  that  did  the  good  claimed  ?  Was  it 
because  the  persons  who  labored  in  the  vineyard  of 
the  Lord  were  in  connection  with  a  Hierarchy, 
that  good  resulted  from  their  labors  ?  All  the  real 
good  that  has  been  done  in  the  world  to  the  souls 
10 


110       INDEPENDENT  OR  DEMOCRATIC 

of  men,  has  been  done  by  the  instrumentality  of  the 
Gospel.  Men  "  called  of  God"  independent  of,  yet 
it  may  be,  in  connection  with  a  Hierarchy,  gener- 
allj^  at  great  personal  sacrifice,  and  with  many 
privations  have  preached  "  Christ  crucified,  *  *  * 
the  power  of  God  and  the  wisdom  of  God,"  and,  "  it 
pleased  God  by  the  foolishness  of  preaching  to  save 
them  that  believe."  The  declaration  of  the  Apos- 
tle, and  the  evidence  aflforded  b}'  the  history  of  the 
preaching  of  the  Gospel,  amount  to  absolute  de- 
monstration, that  it  is  not  the  human  device  of 
Hierarchy,  but  the  Divine,  simple,  glorious  Gospel 
OF  THE  blessed  God,  to  which  our  sin  cursed  earth 
is  indebted  for  all  the  good  Avhich  has  been  accom- 
plished. "  God  hath  chosen  the  foolish  things  of 
the  world,"  (not  the  wise  and  learned  Hierarch}',) 
"  to  confound  the  wise ;  and  God  hath  chosen  the 
weak  things  of  the  world,"  (not  the  great  and 
mighty  Hierarch}^)  "to  confound  the  things  which 
are  might}^ ;  and  the  base  things  of  the  world," 
(not  the  respected  Hierarchy,)  "  and  things  which 
are  despised,"  (not  the  honored  Hierarchy,)  "hath 
God  chosen,  etc.;  that  no  flesh  should  glovy  in  his 
presence."*  The  oldest  Hierarchies  in  existence, 
(the  Greek  and  Latin)  after  three  or  four  centuries 
of  gradual  apostasy,  have  become  the  greatest  possi- 
ble curse  to  the.  world.  The  fact,  that  God  has 
allowed  them  to  depart  so  far  from  the  truth  and 
purity  of  the  Gospel,  from  so  small  beginnings,  from 
errors  apparently   so  insignificant,  ought  to  be  a 

*  1  Cor.  i.  ir-3L 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  Ill 

solemn  warning  to  other  Hierarchies  which  are  yet 
but  one,  two,  or  threes  centuries  old.  If  God  has 
thus  shown,  in  a  most  unmistakable  manner,  his  dis- 
approbation of  men  legislating  for  him,  and  of  men 
submitting  to  such  legislation,  in  religious  matters, 
b}^  permitting  such  awful  apostas}',  what  ma}"  not 
others  fear  who  are  in  the  same  direction. 


112  INDEPENDENT   OR  DEMOCRATIC 


CHAPTER  YII. 

REASONS  WHY  SOME  ARE  APT  TO  CONCLUDE  THAT 
THERE  IS  NO  MODEL  OP  CHURCH  GOVERNMENT  IN 
THE    NEW  TESTAMENT. 

1.    THEY    DO    NOT   LOOK   AFTER   IT. 

If  there  is  a  government  for  the  churches  of 
Christ  laid  clown  in  the  New  Testament,  it  may  be 
asked,  is  it  not  singular,  that  all  do  not  see  it  ? 
With  the  same  propriety  it  may  be  asked,  is  it  not 
singular  that  all  men  do  not  see  the  doctrine  of 
the  Godhead  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  or,  of  the 
final  eternal  punishment  of  the  wicked,  in  the 
Bible  ?     So,  of  other  doctrines. 

One  very  prominent  reason  wh}^  some,  perhaps 
most  men,  do  not  see  a  model  of  Church  Government 
in  the  New  Testament,  is,  they  do  not  look  after 
it.  This  day  and  age  of  the  world  presents  the 
singular  phenomena,  that  men  are  intensely  in- 
terested and  active  in  regard  to  every  thing  that 
pertains  to  the  various  governments  of  earth, 
under  which  thej^  are  to  live  liut  few  years,  while 
the  various  forms  of  Church  Government  under 
which  they  live,  and  worship,  and  under  which 
they  are  professedly  preparing  for  eternity,  receive 
but  little  or  no  attention.  Told  hy  their  religious 
teachers  that  God  has  not  prescribed  any  form  of 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  113 

Church  Government,  and  that  men  are  at  liberty 
to  adopt  any  form  they  please ;  or,  that  God  has 
given  certain  church  officers  or  rulers  power  over 
aU  others  in  his  church,  and  taking  this  for  granted, 
the}^  rest  satisfied,  and  are  content  to  endure 
whatever  may  be  imposed  on  them,  without  investi- 
gation, or  questioning  the  authority.  Careless 
and  inditferent  in  reference  to  "  soul  liberty," 
concerning  which  they  ought  to  be  most  intensely 
active !  Alas,  it  is  true,  they  will  not,  and,  there- 
fore, do  not  "know  the  truth,"  and  are  not  free  I 
The  fountain  is  opened,  and  men  will  not  drink  of 
it ;  the  light  shines,  but  they  sta}-  out  in  the  dark  I 

2.    JEWISH    MODEL. 

The  view  held  by  many  that  the  Jewish  and 
Christian  churches  are  identical,  has  doubtless  led 
some  to  expect,  in  the  New  Testament,  an  intima- 
tion that  the  government  of  the  Jewish  is  trans- 
ferred to  the  Christian.  Being  too  impartial  and 
enlightened  to  pretend  to  see  any  thing  of  this 
nature  in  the  New  Testament,  they  are  inclined  to 
think,  that  for  this  reason  we  are  left  to  form  our 
own  model  of  Church  Government,  as  the  times 
and  circumstances  may  require.  They  do  not  find 
what  they  expect,  and  hastily  conclude  that  noth- 
ing is  to  be  found. 

3.    CUSTOM    OR    HABIT    OF    THOUGHT. 

Many  inquirers  have  been  all  their  lives  so 
accustomed  to  the  multifarious,  and  complicated 
sj^stems  of  the  great  national  establishments,  that 


114  INDEPENDENT   OR   DEMOCRATIC 

when  they  go  to  the  New  Testament,  they  are  led 
to  overlook  the  shnple  apostolic  plan.  Their  minds 
are  so  filled  with  these  intricate  and  punctilious 
systems,  and  are  so  habituated  to  the  voluminous 
"canons,"  "laws,"  "rules,"  "digests,"  "confes- 
sions of  faith,"  "books  of  discipline,"  creeds, 
etc.,  etc.,  which  the  Hierarchies  have  set  forth, 
that  the  inspired  directions  appear  altogether 
defective,  obscure,  and  inadequate.  They  look 
into  the  New  Testament,  and  they  can  find  neither 
the  Church  of  England,  nor  the  Church  of  Scot- 
land, nor  the  Protestant  Episcopal  church,  nor  the 
Presbyterian  church,  nor  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  nor  t«e  Lutheran  church,  nor  indeed  any 
other,  formed  after  the  same  model ;  they  conclude, 
therefore,  that  there  is  no  form  of  Church  Govern- 
ment revealed,  or  at  most,  it  is  only  coarsely  blocked 
out,  to  be  variously  formed  or  shaped  according  to 
the  difi'erent  humors  of  succeeding  ages. 

4.    A  SYSTEMATIC   PLAN   EXPECTED. 

Another  thing  which  tends  to  hide  the  scripture 
model  from  some  inquirers,  is  their  expectation  of 
a  systematic  plan,  or  formal  treatise  on  the  subject. 
They  look  for  a  scheme  in  detail,  as  exhibited  in 
the  "  Book  of  Common  Prayer  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  church,"  or  the  "Westminster  Confes- 
sion of  Faith  of  the  Presbyterian  church,"  or  the 
"Book  of  Discipline  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church."  When  they  look  into  the  New  Testament 
for  such  a  plan,  there  is  nothing  like  it  to  be  found; 
the  half  of  the  whole  Epistles  would  scarcely  con- 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  115 

tapin  such  a  system.  The  conclusion  then  is,  that 
no  form  of  Church  Government  is  revealed.  But 
on  what  do  they  found  their  expectation  of  a 
system  or  formal  treatise  on  Church  Government  ? 
Is  there,  in  the  whole  range  of  the  New  Testament, 
any  thing  like  a  system  on  any  subject  ?  Is  there 
any  doctrine  or  precept  drawn  out  sj^stematically  ? 
Take,  for  instance,  the  doctrine  of  the  atonement ; 
we  do  not  find  all  the  texts  that  illustrate  this 
doctrine  collected  into  a  system,  but  scattered 
from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  revelation.  In 
the  same  manner,  doctrine  and  precept  are  not 
kept  distinct,  but  intentionally  intermingled,  as  it 
were  to  prevent  daring  men  from  separating  them, 
and  setting  up  the  one  in  opposition  to  the  other. 
Indeed  the  manner  of  the  revelation  of  Divine  truth 
seems  everywhere  calculated  and  intended  to  ex- 
cite to  industry,  and  overcome  our  natural  love  of 
ease.  While  on  the  one  hand  the  great  truths  of 
revelation  are  so  plain  that  a  man  may  "  run  and 
read,"  being  found  on  every  page,  so  that  "the 
wa3^faring  man,  though  a  fool  cannot  err  therein ;" 
on  the  other,  it  is  so  wisely  regulated  to  spur  us 
to  exertion,  that  to  exhibit  completely  in  all  its 
bearings  and  features,  and  effectually  prove  any 
one  point,  it  is  necessary  to  turn  over  and  over, 
search  ever}''  page,  compare  spiritual  things  with 
spiritual,  and  examine  the  same  doctrine,  in  the 
different  connections  and  views  in  which  it  is  found 
in  the  Scriptures.  In  one  text  a  doctrine  is  taught 
perhaps  with  all  its  essential  parts,  but  with  some 
of  its  features  more  marked  and  prominent  than 


116  INDEPENDENT    OR   DEMOCRATIC 

others,  according  to  the  purpose  the  Holy  Spirit 
meant  to  serve  on  that  occasion.  In  another,  the 
same  truth  is  brought  forward  in  a  different  light, 
to  serve  a  different  purpose,  with  the  features  that 
were  less  prominent  in  the  other,  now  more  marked 
and  distinct.  Like  a  painter  who  would  exhibit 
the  same  scene  in  a  multiplicity  of  views — alter- 
natel}^  bringing  foward,  and  putting  into  the  back 
ground,  the  different  objects  he  desires  to  repre- 
sent— in  one  representation,  we  have  a  palace  as 
the  chief  object  of  attention,  and  its  owner  and 
family  walking  at  some  distance,  are  seen  indis- 
tinctly. In  another,  the  owner,  if  a  person  of  note, 
is  represented  as  the  chief  object,  and  the  palace  is 
put  into  the  shade.  In  anotlier,  if  the  painter  in- 
tends to  show  us,  principally,  some  surprising  and 
romantic  scenery,  both  the  palace  and  its  owner 
will  be  put  into  the  background.  Now,  that  we 
may  form  clear  and  distinct  ideas  of  the  master, 
the  palace  and  the  scenery,  we  must  view  all  three 
pictures  alternately,  though  all  three  are  repre- 
sented in  every  one  of  them.  Just  so  it  is  in  the 
Scriptures.  Its  truths  are  so  scattered,  and  vari- 
ously represented,  on  such  various  occasions,  for 
so  many  distinct  purposes,  that  we  cannot  have  a 
complete  view  of  them  witliout  examining  the 
whole  Bible.  They  are  so  interwoven,  and  have 
such  a  connection  and  mutual  dependence  on  each 
other,  that  a  knowledge  of  one  truth  cannot  be 
fully  obtained  without  a  general  acquaintance 
with  all  the  rest.  How  absurd  then  to  expect  a 
system  or  formal  treatise  on  Church  Government 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  lit 

in  the  New  Testament.     It  is  not  God's  ordinary 
method  of  communicating  his  plans  and  purposes. 

5.    A   MODEL   GIVEN   INDIRECTLY. 

Some  are  led  to  think  there  is  no  complete 
model  of  Church  Government  intended  to  be  given 
in  the  New  Testament,  because  all  we  know  on 
this  subject  is  given  indirectly,  and  as  it  were 
unintentionally,  and  not  sufficiently  and  fully  ex- 
plained. The  reason  why  this  is  so,  has  already 
been  hinted  at.  As  we  are  nowhere  known  in  the 
New  Testament,  but  in  the  person  of  the  first 
churches,  we  could  not  expect  a  direct  address  on 
the  subject  of  Church  Government.  What  is  said  to 
them  is  said  to  us.  And  as  it  would  be  absurd  to 
expect,  that  an  Apostle,  after  forming  a  church  in 
a  place,  would  in  a  subsequent  letter  give  them 
express  directions  for  the  formation  of  a  church, 
seeing  this  was  already  done  in  the  model  before 
them,  so  all  we  can  expect  is  a  mere  narration  of 
what  was  done ;  an  indirect,  and  as  it  were,  unin- 
tentional allusion  to,  or  picture  of  the  order  estab- 
lished. The  distinction  between  elders  and  deacons 
is  generally  admitted ;  yet  the  exact  boundaries 
of  their  offices  is  nowhere  professedly  and  directly 
treated.  A  standing  ministry  is  generally  granted  ; 
yet  the  chief  proof  of  it  must  be  obtained  from 
incidental,  indirect,  and  as  it  were,  unintentional 
hints,  and  the  example  of  the  apostolic  churches. 
To  prove  the  truth  of  the  Scriptures  themselves, 
or  any  of  their  doctrines,  we  need  only  sufficient 
evidence  to  convince  the  humble  inquirer.     It  is 


118  INDEPENDENT   OR   DEMOCRATIC 

by  no  means  necessary  to  silence  the  caviler,  and 
divest  the  disobedient  of  every  pretext.  But  the 
scattered  hints  we  have,  are  not  at  all  deficient  for 
the  purposes  of  Church  Government.  They  are  so 
numerous  and  complete,  that  a  church  of  Christ 
need  not  advance  a  single  step  but  on  sacred 
ground.  If  this  is  so,  what  more  do  we  want? 
If  inquiry  is  made  under  the  influence  of  a 
worldly  spirit,  it  will  not  be  strange  if  the  scrip- 
ture materials  appear  scant}^  and  obscure  or  con- 
fused. But  if  we  ask  in  the  spirit  of  the  newly 
converted  Saul  of  Tarsus:  "Lord,  what  wilt  thou 
have  me  to  do  ?"  ready  to  perform  the  least  as  well 
as  the  greatest  of  his  commandments,  we  will  have 
no  difficulty  in  reaching  his  conclusions.  We 
should  continually  hang  on  the  lips  of  our  Master, 
ready,  with  the  alacrity  of  an  angel,  to  perform  his 
pleasure,  glad  to  discover  it,  though  it  should  rob 
us  of  fame,  propertj^,  or  even  life.  Blessed  be  his 
holy  name!  his  requirements  bring  out  and  de- 
velop, recognize  and  bring  into  exercise  the  highest 
principles  of  our  manhood,  and  proclaim,  "ye  shall 
know  the  truth  and  the  truth  will  make  you  free.'- 
If  the  Son,  therefore,  shall  make  j^ou  free,  ye  will 
be  free  indeed.* 

*  John  viii.  32,  36.     Revised  version.    American  Bible  Union. 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  119 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

UNINSPIRED  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  APOSTOLIC  CHURCHES. 

1.    THE    GOVERNMENT    INDEPENDENT    OR     DEMOCRATIC, 
BY   JOHN    LAWRENCE    MOSHEIM,  D.D.* 

"When  we  look  back  to  the  commencement  of 
the  Christian  church,  we  find  its  government 
admiuisterccl  jointly  by  the  pastors  and  the  people. 
But  in  the  process  of  time,  the  scene  changes,  and 
we  see  these  pastors  affecting  an  air  of  pre-eminence 
and  superiority,  trampling  upon  the  rights  and 
privileges  of  the  community  and  assuming  to  tliem- 
selves  a  supreme  authorit}^  both  in  civil  and  reli- 
gious matters.  This  invasion  of  the  rights  of  the 
people  was  at  length  carried  to  such  a  height,  that 
a  single  man  administered,  or  at  least  i)retended  a 
right  to  administer,  the  affairs  of  the  whole  church 
with  an  unlimited  sway." 

"  If,  however,  it  is  true  that  the  Apostles  acted  by 
divine  inspiration  and  in  conformity  with  the  com- 
mands of  their  blessed  master,  (and  this  no  Chris- 
tian can  call  in  question,)  then  it  follows,  that  that 
form  of  government  which  the  primitive  churches 
borrowed  from  that  of  Jerusalem,  the  first  Christian 
assembly  established  by  the  Apostles  themselves, 
must  be  esteemed  as  of  Divine  institution.  *  *  *  * 

-Mosh.  Eecl.  IIi.s.,  McLaue's  trauslatiou,  lutroductiun,  vul.  I  p.  4. 
VoL  I.  cent.  1,  pp.  y6-I05. 


120  INDEPENDENT    OR  DEMOCRATIC 

In  those  early  times  every  Christian  church  con- 
sisted of  the  people,  their  leaders,  and  the  minis- 
ters or  deacons,*  and  these  indeed  belong  essen- 
tially to  every  religious  societ}'-.  The  people  were, 
undoubtedly,  the  first  in  authority ;  for  the  Apostles 
showed,  by  their  own  example,  that  nothing  of 
moment  was  to  be  carried  on  or  determined  without 
the  consent  of  the  assembl3^,f  and  such  a  method 
was  both  prudent  and  necessary  in  those  critical 
times. 

"  It  was  therefore  the  assembly  of  the  people 
which  chose  their  own  rulers  and  teachers,  or  re- 
ceived them,  by  a  free  and  authoritative  consent 
when  recommended  b}''  others.  The  same  people 
rejected  or  confirmed,  by  their  sufl'rages,  the  laws 
that  were  proposed  by  their  rulers  to  the  assembly  ; 
excommunicated  profligate  and  unworthy  members 
of  the  church,  restored  the*  penitent  to  their  for- 
feited privileges,  passed  judgment  upon  the  difterent 
subjects  of  controversy  and  dissension  that  arose 
in  their  community,  examined  and  decided  the  dis- 
putes which  happened  between  the  elders  and  dea- 
cons, and,  in  a  word,  exercised  all  that  authority 
which  belongs  to  such  as  are  invested  with  the 
sovereign  power. 

"  There  reigned  among  the  members  of  the  Chris- 
tian church,  however  distinguished  they  were  by 
worldly  rank  and  titles,  not  only  an  amiable  har- 
mony, but  also  a  perfect  equalit}^     This  appeared 

*•  Mosheim  evidently  means,  by  "  leaders,"  the  pastors,  and  by 
**  ministers,"  servants  or  deacons. 
t  "  Acts  i.  15-26  ;  xv.  3-6 ;  xxi.  22." 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  121 

by  the  feasts  of  charity,  in  whicli  all  were  indiscrimi- 
nately assc]nl3led  ;  by  the  names  of  brethren  and 
aiders,  with  which  the}^  mutually  saluted  each  other ; 
and  by  several  circumstances  of  a  like  nature.  Nor, 
in  this  first  century,  was  the  distinction  made 
between  Christians  of  a  more  or  less  perfect  order, 
whicli  took  place  afterward.  Whoever  acknow- 
ledged Christ  as  the  Saviour  of  mankind,  and  made 
a  solemn  profession  of  confidence  in  him,  was  imme- 
diately baptized  and  received  into  the  church.  But 
in  process  of  time,  when  the  church  began  to  flour- 
ish and  its  members  to  increase,  it  was  thought  pru- 
dent and  necessary  to  divide  Christians  into  two 
orders,  distinguished  by  the  names  of  believers  and 
catechumens.  The  former  were  those,  who  had 
been  solemnly  admitted  into  the  church  by  bap- 
tism, and  in  consequence  thereof,  were  instructed 
in  all  the  mysteries  of  religion,  had  access  to  all  the 
parts  of  Divine  worship,  and  were  authorized  to 
vote  in  the  ecclesiastical  assemblies.  The  latter 
were  such,  as  had  not  yet  been  dedicated  to  God 
and  Christ  by  baptism,  and  were,  therefore,  ad- 
mitted neither  to  the  public  prayers,  nor  to  the  holy 
communion  nor  to  the  ecclesiastical  assemblies.*  ^ 
"The  rulers  of  the  church  were  called  either 
presbyters,  or  bishojis,  which  two  titles  are,  in  the 
New  Testament,  undoubtedly  applied  to  the  same 
order  of  men.  These  were  persons  of  eminent 
gravit}^,  and  such  as  had  distinguished  themselves 
by  their  superior  sanctity  or  merft.     Their  particu- 

*  This  was  close  communion  indeed. 
11 


122  INDEPENDENT    OR   DEMOCRATIC 

lar  functions  were  not  always  the  same ;  for  while 
some  of  them  confined  their  labors  to  the  instruction 
of  the  people,  others  contributed  in  different  ways 
to  the  edification  of  the  church.  Hence  the  dis- 
tinction between  teaching  and  ruling  x>reshyters  has 
been  adopted  by  certain  learned  men.  But,  if  ever 
this  distinction  existed,  which  I  neither  affirm  or 
deny,  it  certainly  did  not  continue  long ;  since  it  is 
manifest,  that  St.  Paul  requires  that  all  bishops  or 
presbyters  be  qualified  and  ready  to  teach  and  in- 
struct. 

"  The  church  was,  undoubtedly,  provided  from 
the  beojinnino-  with  inferior  ministers  or  deacons. 
No  society  can  be  without  its  servants,  and  still 
less  such  societies  as  those  of  the  first  Christians 
were.  And  it  appears  not  onl}^  probable  but  evi- 
dent that  the  young  men,  who  carried  away  the 
dead  bodies  of  Ananias  and  Sappiiira  were  the 
subordinate  ministers  or  deacons  of  the  church  at 
Jerusalem,  who  attended  the  Apostles  to  execute 
their  orders.  These  first  deacons  of  the  church, 
being  from  among  the  Jews  who  were  born  in 
Palestine^  were  suspected  by  the  foreign  Jews  of 
partiality  in  distributing  the  offerings  which  were 
presented  for  the  support  of  the  poor.  To  remedy, 
therefore,  this  disorder,  seven  other  deacons  were 
chosen  by  order  of  the  Apostles,  and  employed  in 
the  service  of  that  part  of  the  church  of  Jerusalem 
which  was  composed  of  the  foreign  Jews  converted 
to  Christianity.  Of  these  new  ministers,  six  were 
foreigners,  as  appears  by  their  names ;  the  seventh 
was  chosen  out  of  the  Proselytes,  of  whom  there 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  123 

were  a  certain  number  among  the  first  Christians 
at  Jerusalem,  to  whom  it  was  reasonable,  that  some 
regard  should  be  shown,  in  the  election  of  deacons, 
as  well  as  to  foreign  Jews.  All  the  other  Christian 
churches  followed  the  example  of  that  of  Jerusalem 
in  whatever  related  to  the  choice  and  ollice  of  dea- 
cons. Some,  particularly  the  eastern  churches, 
elected  deaconesses,  and  chose,  for  that  purpose, 
matrons  or  widows  of  eminent  sanctity,  who  also 
ministered  to  the  necessities  of  the  poor,  and  per- 
formed several  other  offices  that  tended  to  the 
maintenance  of  order  and  decency  in  the  church. 

"  Such  was  the  constitution  of  the  Christian 
church  in  its  infancy,  when  its  assemblies  were 
neither  numerous  nor  splendid.  Three  or  four 
presbyters,  men  of  remarkable  piety  and  wisdom, 
ruled  these  small  congregations  in  perfect  harmony, 
nor  did  they  stand  in  need  of  any  president  or 
superior  to  maintain  concord  and  order  where  no 
dissensions  were  known.  But  the  number  of  the 
presbyters  and  deacons  increasing  with  that  of  the 
churches,  and  the  sacred  work  of  the  ministry  grow- 
ing more  painful  and  weight}^  by  a  number  of  addi- 
tional duties,  these  new  circumstances  required  new 
regulations.  It  was  then  judged  necessary,  that 
one  man  of  distinguished  gravity  and  wisdom 
should  preside  in  the  counsel  of  presbyters,  in  order 
to  distribute  among  his  colleagues  their  several 
tasks  and  to  be  a  centre  of  union  to  the  whole 
society.  This  person  was  first  styled  the  angel 
(Rev.  ii.  3.)  of  the  church  to  which  he  belonged, 
but  was  afterwards  distinguished  by  the  name  of 


124  INDEPENDENT    OR   DEMOCRATIC 

bishop,  or  inspector  ;  a  name  borrowed  from  the 
Greek  language,  and  expressing  the  principal  part 
of  the  episcopal  function,  which  was  to  inspect  into, 
and  superintend  the  affairs  of  the  church.  It  is 
highly  probable  that  the  church  at  Jerusalem, 
grown  considerably  numerous,  and  deprived  of  the 
ministry  of  the  Apostles,  who  were  gone  to  instruct 
the  other  nations,  was  the  first  who  chose  a  presi- 
dent or  bishop.  And  it  is  no  less  probable  that 
the  other  churches  followed  by  degrees  such  a  re- 
spectable example. 

"  Let  none,  however  confound  the  bishops  of  this 
primitive  and  golden  period  of  the  church  with 
those  of  whom  we  read  in  the  following  ages.  For, 
though  they  were  both  distinguished  by  the  same 
name,  yet  they  differed  extremely,  and  that  in  many 
respects.  A  bishop,  during  the  first  and  second 
century,  was  a  person  who  had  the  care  of  one 
Christian  assembl}^,  which,  at  that  time,  was,  gener- 
ally speaking,  small  enough  to  be  contained  in  a 
private  house.  In  this  assembly  he  acted  not  so 
much  with  the  authority  of  a  master,  as  with  the 
zeal  and  diligence  of  a  faithful  servant.  He  in- 
structed the  people,  performed  the  several  parts  of 
Divine  worship,  attended  the  sick,  and  inspected 
into  the  circumstances  and  supplies  of  the  poor. 
He  charged,  indeed,  the  presbyters  with  the  per- 
formance of  those  duties  and  services,  which  the 
multiplicity  of  his  engagements  rendered  it  impossi- 
ble for  him  to  fulfil ;  but  had  not  the  power  to 
decide  or  enact  any  thing  without  the  consent  of 
the  presbyters  and  people.     And  though  the  episco- 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  125 

pal  office  was  both  laborious  and  singularly  danger- 
ous, yet  its  revenues  were  extremely  small,. since 
the  church  had  no  certain  income,  but  depended  on 
the  gifts  or  oblations  of  the  multitude,  which  were 
no  doubt  inconsiderable,  and  were  moreover  to  be 
divided  between  the  bishops,  presb3'ters,  deacons, 
and  poor. 

"  The  churches,  in  those  early  times,  were  entire- 
ly independent;  none  of  them  subject  to  any  foreign 
jurisdiction,  but  each  one  governed  by  its  own  rules, 
and  its  own  laws.  For  though  the  churches  founded 
b}'  the  Apostles,  had  this  particular  deference  shown 
them,  that  they  were  consulted  in  difficult  and 
doubtful  cases,  yet  they  had  no  juridical  authorit}^ 
no  sort  of  supramac}''  over  the  others,  nor  the  least 
right  to  enact  laws  for  them.  Nothing,  on  the  con- 
trary, is  more  evident  than  the  perfect  equality  that 
reigned  among  the  primitive  churches  ;  nor  does 
there  even  appear,  in  this  first  century,  the  smallest 
trace  of  that  association  of  provincial  churches, 
from  which  Councils  and  MetroiJolitans  derive  their 
origin.  It  was  only  in  the  second  century,  that  the 
custom  of  holding  Councils  commenced  in  Greece, 
from  whence  it  soon  spread  through  the  other  pro- 
vinces." 

2.    MEMBERSHIP    VOLUNTARY. — BY    JOHN     LAWRENCE 
MOSHEIM,    D.D. 

•'  In  the  earliest  times  of  the  church,  all  who  pro- 
fessed firmly  to  believe  that  Jesus  was  the  only 
Redeemer  of  the  world,  and  who,  in  consequence 
of  this  profession,  promised   to   live  in  a  manner 


126  INDEPENDENT    OR  DEMOCRATIC 

conformable  to  the  purity  of  his  holy  religion,  were 
immediately  received  among  the  disciples  of  Christ. 
This  was  all  the  i^reparation  for  baptism  then  re- 
quired ;  and  a  more  accurate  instruction  in  the  doc- 
trines of  Christianity,  was  to  be  administered  to 
them  after  their  receiving  the  sacrament.  But 
when  Christianity  had  acquired  more  confidence, 
and  churches  rose  to  the  true  God,  and  his  eternal 
Son,  almost  in  every  nation,  this  custom  was 
changed  for  the  wisest  and  most  solid  reasons. 
Then,  none  were  admitted  to  baptism  but  such  as 
had  been  previously  instructed  in  the  principal 
points  of  Christianity,  and  had  also  given  satisfac- 
tory proofs  of  pious  dispositions,  and  upright  in- 
tentions. Hence  arose  the  distinction  between 
catechumens,  who  were  in  a  state  of  probation,  and 
under  the  instruction  of  persons  appointed  for  that 
purpose,  and  believers,  who  were  consecrated  by 
baptism,  and  thus  initiated  into  all  the  mysteries  of 
the  Christian  faith."*  Thus,  this  distinguished 
Lutheran,  in  harmony  with  the  inspired  teachings 
and  history,  makes  membership  in  the  apostolic 
churches  consist  only  of  those  who  voluntarily  pro- 
fessed their  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

3.    MEMBERSHIP   CONVERTED    AND   GOVERNMENT  INDE- 
PENDENT.— BY    WILLIAM   CARPENTER,    M.A, 

In  the  Supplement  to  that  great  work.  The  Com- 
prehensive Commentary,  edited  by  William  Jenks, 
D.D.,  containing  A  guide  to    the  study   of   the 

••'•  Mosheim's  Ecelesiastical  History,  McLane's  Translation,  vol.  1, 
cent.  1,  part  II.,  chap,  iii.,  p.  114 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  121 

Bible,  b}^  William  Carpenter,  M.A.,  pp.  133,  134, 
is  found  a  description  of  The  Christian  Church, 
which,  as  it  is  not  generally  accessible  to  the  read- 
ing public,  the  author  has  taken  the  liberty  to  tran- 
scribe, and,  side  by  side  with  the  description  given 
by  the  distinguished  Mosheim,  would  demand  for  it 
the  attention  and  careful  consideration  of  every 
candid  inquirer  after  truth.  Every  proposition  in 
it  is  weighty,  and  will  stand  the  test  of  the  severest 
criticism.  A  more  perfect  uninspired  picture  of  the 
apostolic  churches,  it  is  scarcely  possible  to  write. 

"  OF    THE    christian  CHURCH. 

"  1.  Unlike  the  Jewish  church,  which  embraced 
the  whole  nation,  without  reference  to  the  vitality 
of  the  faith  possessed  by  the  individuals  of  which 
it  was  composed,  the  Christian  church  comprises 
only  those  who  form  part  of  the  spiritual  seed  of 
Abraham.  It  predicates  nothing  of  men  as  men ; 
it  knows  of  no  rule  but  that  of  truth,  of  principle, 
of  conscience.  The  apostolic  churches  were  com- 
posed, either  of  true  Christians,  or  those  who,  to 
human  appearance,  were  such.  They  were  saluted 
by  inspired  men,  as  '  saints  in  Christ  Jesus,'  as 
'partakers  of  precious  faith,'  as  'calling  on  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,'  as  '  holy  brethren,  par- 
takers of  the  heavenly  calling.'  They  were  ad- 
dressed as  '  born  again,  not  of  corruptible  seed,  but 
of  incorruptible,'  as  *  quickened  together  with 
Christ,'  as  '  saved  by  grace,  through  faith,'  as  'the 
workmanship  of  God,  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto 
good  works,'  as  individuals,  with  reference  to  whom. 


128  INDErENDENT   OR   DEMOCRATIC 

'  old  things  had  passed  away,  and  all  things  had 
become  new.'  From  the  first  church  at  Jerusalem, 
down  to  the  last  that  was  formed  in  the  provinces 
of  the  heathen  world,  all  the  apostolic  communities 
were  composed  of  members  so  designated,  and 
whose  association  in  church-fellowship  was  the  re- 
sult of  their  accredited  conversion  to  the  faith  of 
the  Lord  Jesus.  The  Apostles  and  first  Christians 
never  dreamed  of  creating  nominal  territory  for  the 
display  of  the  Christian  faith.  With  them,  the  limits 
of  the  church  was  the  boundary  line  of  belief,  and  of 
actual  holiness.  Beyond  this,  they  saw  no  trace 
of  the  church  of  Christ ;  nor  did  they  dare  to  make 
themselves  the  agents  of  imposing  a  deception  upon 
the  unenlightened  mass  of  mankind,  by  constituting 
whole  provinces  Christian,  by  an}^  summary  or  po- 
litical act.  Upon  a  principle  the  most  voluntary 
that  can  be  conceived  of,  were  the  first  churches 
gathered  together  in  the  name  of  their  common 
Lord  and  Redeemer.  By  the  force  of  truth,  by  the 
power  of  conscience,  by  the  influence  of  the  mes- 
sage of  reconciliation,  by  the  renewing  power  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  by  the  agitating  considerations  of  an 
impending  eternity,  by  the  resistless  workings  of 
gratitude  and  love,  did  they  give  themselves  first  to 
the  Lord,  and  then  to  one  another,  in  all  the  en- 
dearments of  mutual  Christian  fellowship. 

"  2.  In  speaking  of  the  Christian  church,  we 
speak  of  the  collective  body  of  believers,  without 
reference  to  congregations,  countries,  or  any  other 
localities ;  and  used  in  this  enlarged  sense  only,  is 
the  phrase  a  correct  one.     (See  Eph.  v.,  23-25,  etc. 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  129 

Col.  i.  18,  24,  etc.)  It  is  too  evident  from  the 
New  Testament,  to  admit  of  controversy,  that  each 
organized  and  disciplined  assembly  of  believers 
constituted  a  church  of  Christ,  strictl}^  independent 
of  all  other  churches,  as  to  its  government  and  in- 
ternal economy ;  though  united  with  all  others  in 
one  common  bond  of  faith  and  love,  and  in  every 
respect  ready  to  promote  the  interests  and  welfare 
of  the  whole,  b}^  a  reciprocal  interchange  of  good 
offices.  See  Acts,  viii.  1;  v.  14;  vi.  7;  xi.  22;  1 
Cor.  i.  2;  xvi.  19;  Rom.  xvi.  5;  Col.  iv.  16;  Rev, 
i.  4,  11,  20;  ii.  1,  8,  etc. 

"  3.  In  the  primitive  churches  there  was  a  perfect 
equalit}^  among  the  members,  no  one  having  greater 
power  or  authority  than  another,  but  the  whole  con- 
stituting one  body,  in  which  the  general  authority 
was  lodged.  Speaking  of  the  constitution  of  the 
church  at  Jerusalem,  Mosheim  observes  (Commen- 
taries, I.,  203-210,  241,  etc.):  '  The  power  of  enact- 
ing laws,  of  appointing  teachers  and  ministers,  and 
of  determining  controversies,  was  lodged  in  the 
people  at  large ;  nor  did  the  Apostles,  although  in- 
vested with  Divine  authority,  either  resolve  on,  or 
sanction  any  thing  whatever,  without  the  knowledge 
and  concurrence  of  the  general  body  of  Christians 
of  which  the  church  was  composed.'  See  Acts  xv. 
etc. 

"4.  The  Christian  churches  were  formed  /ind 
maintained  upon  a  purely  voluntary  principle. 
'  The  weapons  of  their  warfare  were  not  carnal,  but 
mighty  through  God  to  the  pulling  down  of  strong- 
holds.'    The  whole  apparatus  of  Christian  propaga- 


130  INDEPENDENT    OR   DEMOCRATIC 

tion  was  spiritual :  the  church  at  large  was  a  grand 
missionary  institution,  for  the  diffusion  of  truth  and 
holiness.  The  idea  of  levying  an  involuntary  con- 
tribution for  the  maintenance  of  the  ministry,  or 
for  the  erection  of  Christian  temples,  or  for  the 
aggrandizement  of  a  particular  sect,  or  for  the  sup- 
port of  a  large  system  of  ecclesiastical  rule,  in 
which  the  power  of  the  civil  magistrate  should  be 
thrown  into  the  scale  of  the  church,  never  entered 
into  the  heads  of  the  inspired  Apostles,  save  when 
under  the  Divine  afflatus  of  that  Spirit  b}'  whom 
the}'-  were  enabled  to  foretell  the  corruptions  of  suc- 
ceeding ages. 

"5.  The  members  of  the  church  of  Christ  are 
rescued,  in  spiritual  matters,  from  all  thraldom  to 
the  doctrines  and  commandments  of  men.  As,  on 
the  one  hand,  they  are  not  to  allow  themselves  to 
be  called  masters,  so,  on  the  other,  they  are  not  to 
call  any  man  master,  upon  earth.  In  every  thing  to 
be  believed,  in  every  thing  to  be  practiced,  the  New 
Testament  is  the  all-perfect  and  the  exclusive  rule. 
From  that  inspired  record,  the  churches  of  Christ 
are  not  at  liberty,  by  any  rule  of  the  Master's  sugges- 
tion, to  make  their  own  fallible  and  imperfect 
digest,  and  then  to  require  the  belief,  ex  animo, 
(heartily,)  of  those  who  unite  themselves  to  their 
fellowship.  This  is  to  substitute  the  rule  of  human 
doctrine  for  the  laws  of  the  blessed  and  only  Poten- 
tate. To  demand  subscription  to  mere  human  arti- 
cles, though  they  may  rest  on  a  scriptural  basis,  is 
to  tarnish  the  spiritualit}^  of  the  Redeemer's  king- 
dom, and  to  create  submission  to  man,  rather  than 
to  God." 


CHURCH     GOVJERNMENT.  131 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE   ONLY   UNIVERSAL   BROTHERHOOD. 

"  Thou  sawcst  till  that  a  stone  was  cut  out  with- 
out hands  which  smote  the  image  upon  his  feet 
of  iron  and  clay,  and  brake  them  to  pieces.  Then 
was  the  iron,  the  clay,  the  brass,  the  silver,  and 
the  gold,  broken  to  pieces  together,  and  became 
like  the  clialT  of  the  summer  threshing  floors  ;  and 
the  wind  carried  them  away,  that  no  place  was 
found  for  them ;  and  the  stone  that  smote  the 
image  became  a  great  mountain,  and  filled  the 
\Yhole  earth." 

"And  in  the  days  of  these  kings  shall  the  God 
of  heaven  set  up  a  kingdom,  which  shall  never  be 
destroyed  ;  and  the  kingdom  shall  not  be  left  to 
other  people,  but  it  shall  break  in  pieces  and  con- 
sume all  these  kingdoms,  and  it  shall  stand  for- 
ever."    Dan.  ii.  34,  35,  44. 

This  wonderful  dream  of  Nebuchadnezzar  and 
its  interpretation  m?Ly  be  summed  up  in  this  :  God 
has  decreed  the  existence  of  a  Brotherhood  which 
shall  ultimately  be  co-extensive  with  the  bounds 
of  the  habitable  earth,  and  be  perpetuated  to 
limitless  duration.  It  becomes  our  duty,  there- 
fore, to  ascertain  what  it  is,  and  where  it  may  be 
found,  that  we  may  bear  our  part  in  its  extension, 


132  INDEPENDENT    OR   DEMOCRATIC 

and  share,  with  its  favored  sons,  its  exalted  privi- 
leges and  heaven  appointed  honors. 

Every  organization  must  have  a  source  or  origin, 
and  a  plan  or  form  according  to  which  it  comes 
into  existence,  and  is  perpetuated.  In  other  words, 
every  society  must  have  a  head  or  seat  of  authority, 
and  laws  emanating  from  that  head.  These  imply 
wisdom  and  power  as  essential  attributes  of  that 
head,  and  the  adaptation  of  these  laws  to  the  con- 
ditions, necessities,  and  circumstances  of  those  for 
whom  they  are  designed.  Society  implies  persons, 
and  organic  union  of  persons,  membership ;  also 
non-membership ;  according  to  their  several  con- 
ditions; and  while  the  several  conditions  of  the 
persons  which  make  this  distinction  or  separation 
necessary,  exist,  the  one  party — the  membership — 
will  be  exclusive  to  the  other — the  non-member- 
ship. This  exclusivism  ("  close  communion") 
cannot  be  avoided;  and  the  cry  which  has  been 
raised  against  it,  is  more  the  clamor  of  the  partizan, 
than  the  utterance  of  intelligent  conviction.  They 
who  cry  loudest  are  least  to  be  trusted.  Tho^e  is 
no  position  one  can  occupy  which  is  not  in  some 
respects  exclusive.  It  must  be  so  to  all  who  do 
not  see  fit  to  take  it.  A  society  cannot  be  formed 
without  some  terms  of  agreement,  some  articles  of 
compact;  and  it  is  exclusive  to  all  who  do  not 
enter  into  the  agreement,  or  articles  of  compact. 
The  existence  of  society  makes  it  exclusive.  Every 
government  on  earth  is  exclusive.  To  be  a  citizen 
of  our  own  Republican  Government  is  not  the 
privilege  of  every  individual,  irrespective  of  charac- 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  133 

ter,  or  qualifications.  Does  any  one  complain  that 
a  citizen  of  another  nation  cannot  enjoy  all  the 
privileges  of  a  citizen  of  this  nation  ?  There  is  not 
a  church  or  society-,  of  an}'  kind,  religious,  benevo- 
lent, reformatory,  literary,  or  scientific,  that  is  not 
exclusive.  If  persons  have  the  right  to  enter  into 
compact,  to  declare  terms  of  agreement  among 
themselves,  they  have  the  right  to  be  exclusive. 
To  exclaim  against  it,  is  unphilosophic,  contradicts 
all  history,  and  is  an  attempt  to  overthrow  what  ex- 
ists of  necessity,  what  is  impossible  to  avoid,  either 
in  this  world  or  the  world  to  come.  It  belongs  to 
the  marriage  relation,  to  the  family  circle,  to  every 
department  of  the  social  fabric,  to  the  kingdom  of 
God,  to  angelic  existence,  to  heaven  itself  God 
is  its  author.  It  is  not  arbitrary,  does  not  exist 
without  reason  ;  but  because  of  the  natural,  mutual 
relation  of  things ;  because  it  is  the  natural  order 
of  things,  and  necessary  for  the  good  of  the  whole  ; 
and  as  long  as  differences  exist,  as  long  as  there 
are  differences  between  men,  angels,  and  God,  so 
long  must  exclusivism  be  part  of  the  order  of  the 
Divine  government.  The  Prophet  Amos  pertinently 
asks:  "Can  two  walk  together  except  they  agree?" 
To  originate  a  body  or  society  which  is  ultimate- 
ly to  extend  over  all  the  habitable  earth,  and  to 
be  perpetuated  to  limitless  duration,  requires  Om- 
niscience, Omnipotence,  and  Omnipresence.  In 
laying  the  plan  thereof,  the  natures,  conditions,  and 
necessities  of  all  whom  it  is  designed  to  embrace, 
must  be  foreseen,  and  all  the  requirements  of  these 
natures,  conditions,  and  necessities,  must  be  fully 
12 


134  INDEPENDENT   OR   DEMOCRATIC 

and  perfectly  met  and  provided  for.  No  man,  or 
combination  of  men,  can  foresee  and  meet  these. 
Hence  no  man,  or  combination  of  men,  can  origi- 
nate a  Universal  Brotherhood.  Hence  the  forcible 
significant  language  of  the  inspired  penman  :  "  cut 
out  without  hands."  Human  wisdom  did  not 
originate,  had  no  share  in  planning  it.  Its  origin 
is  Divine.  In  this  Divine  origin  there  is  unity; 
hence  there  is  unity  in  the  plan.  If  we  find  con- 
fusion or  want  of  harmony  in  the  several  parts  of  a 
plan,  it  is  a  fair  deduction,  either  that  the  head  is 
not  a  unit,  or  has  not  wisdom  equal  to  the  demands 
of  the  case.  The  plan  of  this  organization,  so  far 
as  revealed,  is  in  the  Bible,  the  written  word  of 
God.  This  plan  is  a  unit.  Perfect  harmonj'  reigns 
throughout  all  its  parts.  This  unity,  this  perfect 
harmony,  evinces  the  Divine  unity  and  wisdom  of 
its  author.  In  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures,  this 
plan  is  revealed  prophetically  ;  in  the  Ncav  Testa- 
ment it  is  developed,  and  given  specific  form  and 
tangibility. 

At  this  point  it  maybe  proper  to  remark  that  the 
organization,  whose  plan,  laws,  and  history,  are 
mainly  given  in  the  Old  Testament,  sometimes 
called  the  Jewish  church,  composed  of  the  circum- 
cised natural  seed  of  Abraham,  w^ithout  regard  to 
moral  character,  was  limited  in  its  extent  and  dura- 
tion, and  when  the  design  of  its  existence  was  ac- 
complished, was  done  away.  The  proofs  of  this  are 
many.  Let  three  suffice  :  "  The  law  and  the  pro- 
phets were  until  John,"  etc.,  Luke  xvi :  16.  "  Cast 
out  the  bond  woman  and  her  son  ;  for  the  son  of 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  135 

the  bond  woman  shall  not  be  heir  with  the  son  of 
the  free  woman,"  Gal.  iv.  30.  "He  takes  away 
the  first,  that  he  may  establish  the  second,"  Heb. 
X.  9.  (See  also  2  Cor.  iii.)  God  did  not  design 
that  it  sliould  ])e  universal  or  perpetual,  and,  while 
3'et  iu  existence,  ages  before  its  mission  was  com- 
plete, declared  that  he  would  in  the  future,  at  the 
appointed  time,  set  up  an  organization  which  should 
ultimately  be  universal  and  perpetual.  (See  text.) 
The  Roman  Catholic  church  claims  to  be  a  Uni- 
versal Brotherhood.  She  has  assumed  the  name 
Catholic  in  view  of  her  extent  over  the  whole 
earth,  either  present  or  prospective.  She  claims  to 
have  ar*  infallible  head,  that  head  a  unit.  She 
claims  to  have  all  the  essentials  of  a  societ}^,  de- 
signed to  be  co-extensive  with  the  bounds  of  earth, 
and  has  been,  for  ages,  true  to  this  principle,  exert- 
ing all  her  mighty  energies  to  bring  the  entire  race 
into  subjection  to  her  authority.  She  is  not,  and 
never  can  be,  what  she  claims.  Her  origin  is 
human,  her  head,  plan,  and  laws,  are  human.  To 
say  that  her  head  is  only  in  subordination  to  God 
will  not  help  the  matter.  Two  heads  so  vastly 
different  as  God  and  man  would  produce  confusion, 
would  be  the  worst  condition  of  deformity.  One 
of  them  must  be  superfluous.  The  Bible  contains 
no  record  of  two  heads.  In  that  book  we  never 
read  of  the  "  Great  Head,"  as  if  there  was  a  little 
bead.  It  is  there,  simply  "  the  head."  The  argu- 
ment at  this  point  is  applicable  to  every  society  on 
earth,  which  has  a  human  head ,  or  seat  of  authority. 
No  society  can  be  a  Universal  Brotherhood,  whose 


136        INDEPENDENT  OR  DEMOCRATIC 

origin,  head,  or  scat  of  anthorit}^,  is  any  other  than 
the  Triune  Jehovah,  and  whose  plan,  whose  laws, 
are  not  in  all  things — necessary  to  be  known — 
God's  revealed  will  as  found  in  the  Bible.  The 
reason  is  plain :  No  man  or  combination  of  men 
can  foresee  the  natures,  conditions,  and  necessities, 
to  be  met,  or  make  a  system  adapted  to  each  and 
all.  Man  is  neither  Omniscient  nor  Omnipotent 
Lawj^er  Gamaliel  uttered  a  truth  which  all  should 
heed  : — "  If  this  council  or  this  work  be  op  men, 

IT  WILL   come  to    nought  ;    BUT  IF  IT  BE  OF    GOD,  YE 

CANNOT  overthrow  IT."     Acts  V.  38,  39. 

Having  thus  briefly  set  forth  the  Divine  head 
and  plan  or  laws  of  this  Brotherhood,  let  us  ascer- 
tain some  of  its  other  essential  characteristics.  A 
Brotherhood  is  a  union  of  brothers, — children  of 
the  same  father, — and  involves  the  essential  man- 
hood of  each.  As  a  race  we  are  all  in  the  same 
relative  condition.  By  nature  we  are  all  outside 
of  this  Brotherhood :  "  All  have  sinned  and  come 
short  of  the  glory  of  God  ;"  "  There  is  none  good 
but  one,  that  is  God ;"  are  facts  revealed  and  illus- 
trated too  plainl}^  to  be  denied.  All  therefore  in 
this  condition  are  disqualified  for  admission  within 
its  sacred  boundaries  ;  not  only  because  such  ad- 
mission is  incompatible,  but  because,  while  the  law 
of  the  Brotherhood  thus  clearly  and  plainly  re- 
veals and  exposes  the  condition  of  mankind,  it  as 
clearly  and  plainly  prescribes  the  qualifications  for 
admission  to  its  exalted  privileges,  and  describes 
the  moral  characteristics  of  those  already  enrolled 
and  distinguished  asmem])ers:  "Ye  must  be  born 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  137 

again  ;"*  "  Except  ye  be  converted  and  become  as 
little  children,  etc.  ;"t  "  Be  not  unequally  yoked 
together  with  unbelievers  ;"J  "Ye  are  all  the 
children  of  God  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ  ;"§  "  Be- 
loved now  are  we  the  sons  of  God  ]"\\  "  But  ye  are 
a  chosen  generation,  a  royal  priesthood,  a  holy 
nation,  a  peculiar  people ;  that  ye  should  show 
forth  the  praises  of  him  who  hath  called  you  out  of 
darkness  into  his  marvellous  light ;  which  in  time 
past  were  not  a  people  but  are  now  the  people  of 
God,  ctc."^  This  language  is  clear,  and  plain,  and 
strong,  and  unequivocal.  There  can  be  no  mis- 
take or  misunderstanding  in  regard  to  it.  Thus,  a 
membership  is  secured  on  a  principle  the  most 
voluntary  that  can  be  conceived,  by  a  process  at 
once  the  most  natural  and  simple.  The  individual 
makes  application  for  admission;  he  is  examined  ;  if 
found  to  possess  the  required  qualifications,  he  is 
received,  in  the  way  and  manner  the  laws  or  rules 
of  the  organization  direct.  How  natural,  how  sim- 
ple, how  voluntary,  on  the  part  of  the  applicant 
and  the  society. 

But  what  does  this  admission  involve  ?  What 
ideas  do  we  generally  attach  to  an  initiation? 
What  does  an  initiatory  ceremony  imply,  or  ex- 
press  ?  The  ceremony  of  admission  or  initiation, 
however  simple,  whatever  it  may  be  in  itself,  is 
that  of  professing  confidence  in,  attachment  to,  and 
union  with  the  society  into  which   the   person   is 


«  John  iii.  3-5.  ?  Gal.  iii.  26-29. 

t  Matt,  xviii.  3.  |1  1  John  iii.  1,  2. 

i  2  Cor.  vi.  14.  ^  1  Pet.  ii.  9,  10.     See  also  Eph.  ii. 


138  INDEPENDENT    OR   DEMOCRATIC 

initiated,  with  a  recognition  of  all  its  laws,  princi- 
ples, and  practices,  and  the  obligations  growing 
out  of  such  union.  It  is  a  representative  act,  in- 
volving submission  to  every  other  law  or  require- 
ment of  that  particular  society.  When  an  individu- 
al is  initiated  into  this  great  Brotherhood,  by  that 
act  or  ceremony,  whatever  it  may  be,  he  professes 
confidence  or  faith  in,  attachment  to,  and  union 
with,  and  a  recognition  of  all  its  principles,  and 
all  the  obligations  growing  out  of  his  connection 
with  it.  Belonging  to  it,  all  its  principles  are  his, 
all  its  obligations  are  his,  and  his  initiation,  as  a 
representative  act,  involves  submission  to  every 
other  law  or  requirement  revealed  for  his  direction. 
The  ceremony  of  initiation  into  this  God-planned, 
God-originated  Brotherhood,  is  Christian  baptism. 
However  extended  the  design  of  baptism,  it  is 
plain,  that  all  that  can  be  expressed  or  implied  in 
an  initiation  ceremon};^,  belongs  intrinsicall}^  to  this 
rite.  It  is  only  in  the  light  of  an  initiatory  ceremo- 
ny, that  our  Lord's  language  to  John  the  Baptist, 
"  For  thus  it  becometh  us  to  fulfil  all  righteous- 
ness,"* can  be  understood  and  explained.  As  if  he 
had  said,  "  Suffer  me  to  be  baptized,  for  this,  as  an 
initiatory  ceremony,  carries  with  it  the  obligation 
of  all  subsequent  right  doing."  In  this  view  we 
may  understand  wh}^  our  Lord  commanded  the  disci- 
ples, made  out  of  all  nations,  to  be  baptized  "  in,  or 
into,  (eis,)  the  name  of  the  Father,"  etc.,f  why  be- 
lievers are  said  to  be  baptized  into  Jesus  Christ, 

Matt.  iii.  15.  f  Matt,  xxviii.  39. 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  139 

and  into  his  death  ;*  and  having  been  baptized  into 
Jesus-  Christ,  hare  put  on  Christ  ;f  why  being 
buried  and  raised  with  him,  by  baptism,  we  should 
walk  in  newness  of  life  -.%  why  Paul  was  exhorted 
to  rise  and  be  baptized,  and  wash  away  his,  sins  ;§ 
wli}^  baptism  is  called  a  washing  of  the  bod}-,  and  a 
profession  of  faith  ;||  a  figure  of  our  salvation,  and 
the  answer  of  a  good  conscience  towards  God  ;T[ 
why  in  the  whole  history  of  its  administration  in 
the  New  Testament,  it  is  found  connected  with  re- 
pentance and  immediately  following  faith.**  Here 
we  learn  wh}-  Mark  summed  up  the  gospel  which 
Jesus  commanded  his  disciples  to  preach  to  every 
creature,  in  the  significant  words,  "  He  that  be- 
lieveth  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved ;  but  he  that 
believeth  not  shall  be  damned."f  f  Before  one  joins 
any  society  he  must  be  converted  to  its  principles  ; 
his  views  and  feelings  must  undergo  a  change — 
unless  perchance  he  was  always  qualified.  But  (b}^ 
nature)  none  are  qualified  for  admission  to  this 
Brotherhood,  till  they  are  so  changed  as  to  believe 
its  i)rinciples,  love  them  and  their  author,  and  all 
the  membership,  and  are  willing  to  take  all  the 
obligations,  and  perform  all  the  duties,  involved  in 
the  relation  of  membership.  In  and  by  the  baptism 
of  a  penitent  believer  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  all 
this  is  professed.  It  is,  to  such,  a  representative 
act.     Peter  did  not  say :  Repent  and  be  baptized, 

*  Rom.  vi.  .3.  t  Gal.  iii.  27.  J  Rom.  vi.  4. 

§  Acta  xxii.  10.  II  Ileb.  x.  22,  23.  ^f  Pet.  iii.  21. 

«-*  Matt.  iii.  6  ;     Mark  i.  5  ;      Acts  ii.  38,  41 ;  viii.  12,  13,  27-39 ; 
X.  47,-  xvi.  13-15,  32-34;  xviii.  8.  ft  Mark  xvi.  10. 


140  INDEPENDENT    OR   DEMOCRATIC 

take  the  Lord's  Supper,  go  to  meeting,  pay  the 
preacher,  pra}^,  and  perform  all  other  Christian 
duties.  No ;  but,  "  Repent  and  be  baptized,  every  one 
of  3^ou,  in  the  name,  etc.," — "  repent,"  which  indi- 
cates the  required  qualifications,  "and  be  baptized," 
this  act  carrying  with  it  all  other  obligations  of  the 
Christian  life.  Why  did  our  Lord  declare  that  the 
"  least  in  the  kingdom  of  God  is  greater  than  John 
the  Baptist,"  though  he  declared  him  to  be  greater 
than  the  greatest  of  prophets  ?*  Was  it  not  because 
John,  though  a  baptizer,  w^as  not  baptized ;  and 
therefore  not  having  been  initiated  into  the  king- 
dom of  God,  his  privileges  were  less  than  the 
least  of  those  who  had  been  initiated  by  baptism. 
The  conclusion  is  inevitable.  This  beautiful,  intense- 
ly significant,  yet  simple  act,  is  the  initiatory  rite, 
or  ceremony,  surel}^  admitting  true  believers  in  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  into  this  holy  Brotherhood, 
and  entitling  them  to  all  its  heaven-born  privi- 
leges. Having  "  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism," 
and  bound  together  by  that  strongest  bond,  pure, 
unfeigned  love,  one  with,  and  in  each  other  and 
their  Head,  their  union  is  as  inseparable,  as  their 
life  is  eternal.  Thus  this  great  Brotherhood  is  com- 
posed of  all  who  are  qualified  and  duly  initiated  ac- 
cording to  the  law,  revealed  by  its  Head  and  King. 
But  what  relation  do  these  duly  initiated  members 
sustain,  to  each  other  and  their  Head,  and  what  are 
their  duties  and  powers?  The  Word  of  God  is 
complete  and  perfect,  and  we  are  expressly  forbid- 

*  Matt.  xi.  11 ;  Luke  vii.  28. 


ciiURcn  goyern:\ient.  ]41 

don  to  add  to  it,  or  take  from  it,  on  penalty  of  eter- 
nal severance  from  all  its  promised  privileges.  As 
therefore  God  has  determined  all  things  pertain- 
ing to  this  great  organization,  he  has  made  no 
provision  for  changes,  nor,  the iv.' fore,  for  representa- 
tive assemblies  of  his  people,  or  any  other  kind, 
to  meet  annually,  or  more  or  less  frequent,  to  make 
new  laws,  or  change  those  he  has  made.  If  new 
laws  were  needed,  or  change,  in  any  thing  pertain- 
ing to  the  order  of  this  Brotherhood,  required,  it 
would  indicate  imperfection  in  the  Head  and  plan. 
But  the  Head  and  plan  being  perfect,  human  legisla- 
tion for  it  would  be,  and  is,  an  assumption  of  power, 
and  an  elevation  of  man  to  equal  authority  with 
God.  It  would  indeed  be,  and  is,  wherever  at- 
tempted, man,  "  sitting  in  the  temple  of  God,  show- 
ing himself  that  he  is  God,"  and  claiming  the 
authority  of  God.* 

In  order  more  fully  to  develop  the  character  of 
this  Brotherhood,  let  us,  at  this  place,  introduce  its 
histor3^  When  did  the  mission  of  "  the  stone  cut 
out  without  hands"  begin?  When  did  the  G -d 
of  heaven  set  up  his  kingdom  on  earth,  which  is, 
and  shall  be,  aggressive  till  all  other  kingdoms 
are  destroyed,  and  progressive,  not  only  till  it  fills 
the  whole  earth,  but  forever  ?  Our  Lord  himself, 
independent  of  any  other  interpretation,  has  fully 
answered  this  question.  He  says :  "  The  time  is 
fulfilled,  the  kingdom  of  God  is  at  hand,  or  prop- 
erly  translated,  has   come    {eggiken).^^-\     Without 

«■  2  Thess.  ii.  4.  f  Mark  i.  J 5. 


142  INDEPENDENT    OR   DEMOCRATIC 

the  shadow  of  a  doubt,  a  little  more  than  eighteen 
hundred  j^ears  ago,  in  Palestine,  when  the  Son 
of  God  became  incarnate,  began  to  gather  his  dis- 
ciples, and  was  proclaimed  King,*  this  organiza- 
tion began  its  existence.  Then,  there,  the  God 
of  heaven  set  up  his  kingdom,  and  its  aggressive 
and  progressive  career  began,  as  in  this  prophetic 
dream  he  revealed  it.  At  first  the  number  of 
its  subjects  was  very  small.  Though  expected, 
and  heralded  under  deepl^^  portentous  circum- 
stances and  events  ;f  the  King  himself  distinguished 
and  manifested  by  a  most  wonderful  display  of  al- 
mighty power;  by  attestations  of  character  and 
authority  as  only  such  a  King  could  give;  and 
though,  by  a  sacrifice  of  infinite  sufficiency,  pardon 
and  reconciliation  became  possible,  and  was  offered 
to  all  the  hungering,  thirsty,  laboring,  heavy  laden, 
lost  and  ruined  race,  but  few  of- the  mighty  mass 
who  needed  his  royal  favor,  were  willing  to  receive 
him.  For  several  years  they  did  not  exceed  a 
thousand,  and  these  were  scattered  over  Palestine 
Soon  after  the  kingdom  was  set  up,  we  read  that 
one  hundred  and  twenty  persons  were  associated 
together  in  the  city  of  Jerusalem. J  This  is  the 
first  organized  bod}^  of  which  we  have  any  account, 
in  any  way  connected  with  this  Brotherhood.  But 
these  one   hundred   and  twenty  were  not  all  the 

*-  Matt.  xxi.  [>;  Luke  xix.  38:  xxiii.  2,  3.  Sec  also  1  Tim.  vi.  13 
— 16 ;  Rev.  xv.  3,  and  xvii.  14,  which  teach  most  clearly  that 
Christ  was  then  regarded,  and  is  now,  a  king,  as  really,  and  literally, 
as  he  ever  can  bo  in  the  future. 

t  Matt.  iii.  .-j:  Acts  i.  15. 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  143 

initiated  ;  for  Paul  speaks  of  "  more  than  live  hun- 
dred brethren,"  who  were  witnesses  of  the  King's 
most  glorious  victory.*  But  they  began  to  multiply. 
The  King  had  commissioned  his  followers  to  go  forth 
in  his  name  and  proclaim  his  kingdom,  open  its  door, 
and  invite  the  multitudes  to  enter.  Thousands, 
who  had  before  hated  the  King,  gladly  received  the 
message,  were  duly  initiated,  and  the  local  organiza- 
tion at  Jerusalem,  numbered  above  five  thousand. f 
Soon  other  cities  and  villages  were  visited,  the 
Brotherhood  proclaimed,  multitudes  believing  the 
good  news  of  pardon  and  reconciliation  to  enemies, 
and  receiving  Jesus  Christ  as  their  King,  were  ad- 
mitted  to  all  its  glorious  privileges ;  and  thus  other 
distinct  local  societies  came  into  existence,  each  called 
after  the  city  or  neighborhood  in  which  it  was  loca- 
ted. In  this  way  they  have  continued  to  multiply, 
and  increase,  from  age  to  age,  even  down  to  the 
present  time.  With  this  brief  glance  at  the  well 
known  history  of  this  Brotherhood,  let  us  proceed 
to  its  further  development. 

These  local  societies,  called  churches,  constitute, 
in  their  extent,  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ  on  earth,  concerning  which 
the  prophet  Daniel  speaks,  under  the  symbol  of  the 
"  stone  cut  out  without  hands."  As  a  kingdom  is 
generally  divided  into  provinces,  so  each  of  these 
local  churches  constitutes  a  province  in  the  kingdom 
of  God.  There  are  many  "  strangers  and  foreigners" 
yet  outside,  many  enemies  yet  unsubdued.     Every 

*  1  Cor.  XV.  6.  t  Acts  ii.  41 ;  iv.  4. 


144  INDEPENDLNT    OR   DEMOCRATIC 

convert  baptized  is  the  addition  of  another  subject, 
and  ever}^  new  church  organized,  is  the  addition  of 
another  province,  to  his  kingdom.  As  provinces  of 
the  same  empire  are  independent  of  eadi  other, 
having  each  its  local  officers,  so  these  local  churches 
are  independent  of  each  other,  having  each  its  local 
officers.  As  provinces  of  the  same  em2:)ire  have  one 
general  code  of  laws,  and  are  united  under  one 
Head  or  Ruler,  so  these  local  churches  have  but 
one  code  of  laws,  and  are  in  an  inseparable  union 
with  their  Head  and  King.  They  are,  therefore,  in 
all  that  pertains  to  them  as  churches,  all  alike. 
This  must  be  so  for  the  reason  alread}^  given — they 
have  the  same  Head  or  Seat  of  authority ;  not  a 
part  of  themselves,  self  or  otherwise  elevated  to 
that  position,  but  Jesus  Christ,  "head  over  all."* 
They  all  have  the  same  code  of  laws ;  not  one  code 
for  one  place,  and  a  different  one  for  another ;  one 
for  the  North,  another  for  the  South ;  one  for 
Europe,  a  different  one  for  Asia,  Africa,  or  America  ; 
one  for  the  rich  man,  another  for  the  poor  man  ; 
one  for  the  learned,  another  for  the  unlearned  ;  one 
for  the  white  man,  another  for  the  red  man,  and 
another  for  the  black  man  ;  one  for  the  Jew,  another 
for  the  Gentile.  But  one  code,  and  only  one,  for 
ALL  AND  EACH.  Thc  Same  qualifications  for  citizen- 
ship, or  membership,  are  required  throughout  the 
whole  extent  of  its  territory  and  duration.    Always 

AND  EVERYWHERE  THE    SAME.       ThC}''  haVC    tllC    Same 

initiatory   ceremony  ;f   the    same    commemorative 

^  Eph.  i.  22;  iv.  15;   v.  23;     Col.  i.  18. 
t  Eph.  iv.  5  ;    Rom.  vi.  3,  4  ;    Col.  ii.  12. 


CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  145 

feast,  spread,  not  for  enemies  of  the  King  or 
aliens  for  those  outside ;  but  for  those  duly  ini- 
tiated, and  otherwise  qualified  according  to  the 
law  of  the  feast.*  There  is  no  waiving  of  any  of 
these  laws  in  favor  of  any  one  locality.  It  is  the 
peculiar  excellence,  yea,  it  indicates  the  perfection 
of  these  laws  and  their  Divine  origin,  that  they  are 
perfectly  adapted  to  every  part  of  the  habitable 
globe.  These  local  churches  or  provinces  of  the 
kingdom  of  Christ  must  therefore  be  all  alike. 
Dissimilarity  would  indicate  departure,  somewhere, 
from  the  divinely  instituted  order. 

As  individuals,  the  membership  all  sustain  the 
same  relation.  God  is  their  father — "  Born  of  God" — 
they  are  his  children,  therefore  brethren  ;  their  rights 
and  their  duties  are  therefore  inalienable.  All  the  au- 
thority^ given;  is  in  each  of  these  local  churches,  and 
that  only  over  their  own  affairs.  They  have  no  power 
to  change  the  Divine  order  in  the  least.  They  have 
power  to  receive  members.  ''  Him  that  is  weak  in 
the  faith  receive  ye."f  They  have  power  to  ex- 
communicate: "  Withdraw  yourselves  from  every 
brother  that  walks  disorderly,"  etc. J  They  have  a 
declarative  power:  "Whatever  ye  shall  bind  on 
earth  shall  be  bound  in  heaven,"  etc.  "Whose  sins 
ye  remit  thc}^  are  remitted, "§  plainly  referring  to 
the  effect  of  receiving,  (or  refusing  to  receive,)  and 
expelling  members.  They  can  warn,  reprove,  and 
exhort  each  other.     They  have  charge  of  their  own 

*  1  Cor.  xi.  f  Rom.  xiv.  1. 

X  Rom.  xvi.  17;  1  Cor.  v.  4-13;  2  Thess.  iii.  Q,  10-15. 
g  Matt,  xviii.  18 ;  John  xx.  23. 
13 


146  INDEPENDENT    OR  DEMOCRATIC 

finances,  as  seen  in  the  distribution  in  tlie  church 
at  Jerusalem,*  when  "  they  had  all  things  common  ;" 
in  the  collections  in  other  churches  for  the  poor 
saints  at  Jerusalem  ;")"  in  Paul's  instructions  in  re- 
gard to  pastoral  support, J  and  his  commendations 
of  the  church  at  Philippi,  "  communicating  in  giving 
and  receiving,"  and  "  sending  once  and  again  to 
his  necessity.  "§  They  have  power  to  judge  in  matters 
of  difterence,  either  in  civil  or  in  personal  offences, 
between  brethren.  ||  They  have  power  to  send  out 
from  among  themselves  Evangelists  or  Missiona- 
ries.^ They  have  power  to  choose  their  own  officers  ;** 
and,  that  there  might  be  no  abuse  of  authority,  the 
nature  and  duties  of  these  officers  are  distinctly  and 
clearly  defined.  Two  orders  of  officers  only,  are 
recognized  in  the  law.  These  are  called  Bishops  and 
Deacons.  Bishops  are  sometimes,  perhaps  most  fre- 
quently, called  elders  or  pastors.  In  the  church  at 
Jerusalem,  they  had  three  or  more  elders  or  pastors, 
among  whom  we  find  James,  Peter,  and  John,  who 
are  called  pillars,  and  gave  the  right  hands  of 
fellowship  to  Paul  and  Barnabas,  that  they  might 
have  authority  to  be  missionaries  ;f  f  they  had,  at 
least,  seven  deacons.  In  the  church  at  Ephesus, 
they  had  a  plurality  of  elders,  who  are  also  called 
bishops,  showing  that  the  terms  "bishop"  and 
"elder,"   designated    the    same   office.      They  also 


*  Acts  iv.  32-35.  f  1  Cor.  xvi.  1-4. 

t  1  Cor.  ix.j  ]  Tim.v.  17  18.  §  Phil.  iv.  10-18. 

II  1  Cor,  vi. ;  Matt,  xviii.  15-17. 

%  Acts  xi. 22;  xiii.  1,  2  ;  xv.  1,  24,-  xvi. 2;  xviii.  27. 
*•«•  Acts  i.  26 ;  vi.  5.  ft  ^^1.  ii.  9. 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  147 

had  deacons.*  In  the  church  at  Philippi  they  had 
bishops  and  deacons.f  These  two  offices  arc 
particularly  described  in  Paul's  letters  to  Timothy 
and  Titus ;  and  in  his  address  to  the  elders  at 
Ephcsus,J  the  character  and  duties  of  elders  are 
most  carefully  and  earnestly  set  forth.  Peter  calls 
himself  an  elder,  and  addresses  other  ministers,  not 
as  inferiors,  but  as  fellow-elders,  equals  with  him- 
self, before  the  law  of  Christ. § 

No  other  orders  were  recognized  iu  the  apostolic 
churches.  They  had  no  diocesan,  or  suffragan 
bishops,  archbishops,  archdeacons,  deans,  rectors, 
or  even  reverends.  They  were  plain  elders  or 
overseers,  and  deacons,  whose  prerogatiA^es  as  gen- 
erally defined  were  as  follows  : — 

The  elders  were  the  preachers  of  the  Gospel,  and 
the  teachers  of  the  church ;  they  initiated  members 
by  baptism ;  administered  the  Lord's  supper,  and 
set  apart  by  imposition  of  hands  and  prayer  others 
duly  qualified  to  the  sacred  offices  of  elder — either 
for  the  pastoral  relation,  or  the  missionary  work — 
and  deacon.  This  is,  by  common  consent,  a  general 
view  of  ministerial  prerogatives.  But  with  reference 
to  preaching,  and  teaching,  and  administering  bap- 
tism and  the  Lord's  supper,  it  is  by  no  means 
clear  that  these  were  confined  to  elders  or  bishops. 
Was  Philip,  who  preached  and  baptized  in  Samaria 
and  other  cities,  who  also  preached  Christ  to  the 
eunuch,  and  baptized  him,  an  elder  ?||     There  is  no 

^  Acts  XX.  17-30  J  1  Tim.  i.  3;  iii.  1-13.  f  P^il.  i.  1. 

t  Acts  XX.  ir-20.  ^  1  Pet.  v.  |1  Acts  viii. 


148  INDEPENDENT   OR   DEMOCRATIC 

eyidence  that  he  had  any  other  ordination  than 
that  of  deacon  in  the  church  at  Jerusalem.  He  is 
called  an  "evangelist,"*  but  this  does  not  prove 
that  he  was  an  elder ;  it  only  establishes  the  fact 
that  he  published  the  good  news.  Was  Ananias, 
who  instructed  and  baptized  Paul,  an  elder?  He 
is  only  represented  as  a  disciple  with  other  disciples 
at  Damascus. f  Were  none  but  ejders  scattered 
abroad  during  the  persecution  at  Jerusalem,  when 
Stephen  was  slain  ?J  Had  Stephen  any  other  ordi- 
nation than  that  of  deacon  ?  Did  he  not  preach  ?§ 
With  the  inspired  history,  its  precepts  and  ex- 
amples before  us,  we  dare  not  say  that  none  but 
elders,  regularly  ordained,  preached  the  Gospel || 
and  administered  the  rite  of  baptism  in  the  times 
of  the  Apostles  and  first  Christians ;  nor  that,  even 
without  being  baptized,  a  true  believer  shall  not 
preach  the  Gospel, ^f  and  under  some  extraordinary 
circumstances  baptize  others.**  In  regard  to  the 
Lord's  supper,  there  is  no  proof  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment that  its  administration  was  confined  to  the 
elders.  That  it  was  so  confined  can  only  be  a 
matter  of  opinion.  It  seems  proper  that  pastors 
should  take  the  lead  in  this  ordinance,  as  is  the 
custom  in  nearly  ever}'^  society,  claiming  to  be 
Christian.  But  it  is  equally  proper  and  scriptural 
in  the  absence  of  a  pastor,  for  a  church  to  appoint 
any   other   brother   to   lead    in   the   service ;    and 

*  Acts  xxi.  8.  t  Acts  ix.  10-19.  %  Acts  viii.  1,  4 ;    xi.  19. 

§  Acts  vi.  10;  vii.  1|  1  Cor.  xiv.  22-31. 

*[]  Whoever  knows  any  truth,  has  the  right  to  proclaim  it.     Mark 
ix.  38,  39;  Rev.  xxii.  17.  «■  Matt.  iii.  1-6. 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  149 

churclies  without  pastors,  have  no  more  right  to 
neglect  this  ordinance  than  they  have  to  neglect 
prayer  or  reading  the  Scriptures. 

The  deacons,  as  the  name  (diakonos,  loaiting  ser- 
vant) indicates,  had  the  care  of  the  poor  in  the 
church  of  which  they  were  members,  and  managed 
its  temporal  afl'airs  under  the  direction  of  that 
body. 

Let  us  quote  the  law  which  forbids  every  exer- 
cise of  authority — for  these  are  rather  duties,  and 
privileges,  than  power  or  authority.  Christ,  the 
King,  saj's  to  the  whole  brotherhood,  as  well  as  to 
each  local  part  and  member  of  it,  in  distinction  from 
the  aristocracy  and  ambition  of  the  Pharisees  and 
Scribes,  among  the  Jews :  "  Be  not  ye  called 
Rabbi ;  for  one  is  your  Master,  even  Christ ;  and 
all  3'e  are  brethren.  Call  no  man  your  father  upon 
the  earth ;  for  one  is  your  Father,  which  is  in  hea- 
ven. Neither  be  3'e  called  masters  ;  for  one  is  your 
Master,  even  Christ.  But  he  that  is  greatest  among 
you,  shall  be"  (not  your  ruler,  but)  "  your  ser- 
vant."* 

Again,  in  distinction  from  Gfcntile  despotism,  he 
says:  "Ye  know  that  the  princes  of  the  Gentiles 
exercise  dominion  over  them,  and  they  that  are 
great  exercise  authority  upon  them.  But  it  shall 
not  ])e  so  among  3'ou ;  but  whosoever  will  be  great 
among  you,  let  him  be  3'our  minister.  And  whoso- 
ever will  be  chief  among  you,  let  him  be  your  ser- 
vant."t     Thus  every  thing  is  arranged,  guarded, 

*  Matt,  xxiii.  8-11.         f  Matt.  xx.  25-27. 


150  INDEPENDENT    OR   DEMOCRATIC 

protected.  There  can  be  no  disorder,  no  confusion, 
no  assumption  of  power,  no  abuse  of  privileges,  no 
aristocracy,  no  privileged  classes,  no  monopolies, 
none  to  rule  and  domineer  over  others,  in  this 
Brotherhood  of  equals  before  the  law  of  Christ. 
Each  church,  called  by  the  name  of  its  locality,  had 
the  care  of  its  own  affairs,  without  any  authoritative 
interference  from  any  other  body,  and  each  mem- 
ber his  of  her  own  duties,  inalienahly,  to  perform, 
as  laid  down  in  the  law  of  the  Brotherhood.  In 
the  Divine  history  of  this  organization,  we  do  not 
read  of  Conferences,  Assemblies,  Synods,  Presby- 
teries, Classes,  Elderships,  Councils,  Conventions, 
or  Associations,  annual,  general,  or  quarterly,  or 
otherwise,  to  "transact  business  for  the  king- 
dom(!) ;"  to  enact  laws,  or  canons,  make  confes- 
sions of  faith,  books  of  discipline,  constitutions  or 
liturgies,  or  change  them ;  appoint  and  ordain  the 
ministry  to  the  churches,  and  dissolve  the  relation ; 
decide  what  books  shall  be  read,  and  what  degree 
of  learning  the  ministrj^  shall  have  attained,  and 
what  shall  be  sung ;  in  a  word,  to  regulate  and  con- 
trol the  worship  of  every  locality  that  may  have 
come  under  their  assumed  jurisdiction.  We  do  not 
read  of  Sessions,  Yestries,  Consistories,  Church 
Councils,  Official  Boards,  Boards  of  Deacons,  or 
other  authoritative,  labor-saving  machines  for  lazy 
churches  or  Christians.  There  is  nothing  of  the  kind 
in  God's  word.  These  bodies  were  not  instituted  hy 
the  Head,  or  King.  The  Brotherhood,  as  set  up  b}'- 
God,  does  not  need  them.  From  their  nature,  illus- 
trated by  their  history,  we  reach  the  only  possible 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT,  151 

conclusion  concerning  them,  that  they  tend  to  as- 
sumption of  power,  to  tyranny  and  oppression,  and 
are  promotive  of  division,  confusion,  and  error,  and 
the  vain-glory  of  man,  instead  of  the  glory  of  God  ; 
that  they  are  exhaustive  of  the  resources  of  time,  and 
money,*  and  talents,  and  hinder  and  retard,  instead 
of  advance,  the  progress  of  pure  Christianit}^  in 
the  world. 

We  have  thus,  as  briefly  as  possible,  exhibited 
this  great  Brotherhood.  It  is  a  union  of  brothers, 
children  of  the  same  Parent.  Its  only  Head  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Its  only  law,  his  Word.  Its 
membership/voluntary^  believers,  penitent,  baptized, 
walking  orderly,  having  equal  rights  and  privileges 
inalienable,  and  all  and  each  accountable  to  their 
King  and  Head.  Thus,  ascertaining  what  it  is,  by 
a  comparison,  we  may  easily  learn  where  it  is,  and 
our  duty  in  relation  to  it. 

It  remains  for  us  to  consider,  in  conclusion,  two 
other  important  and  interesting  characteristics. 
"  The  stone  smote  the  image,  and  brake  it  in 
pieces."  "This  kingdom  was  to  break  in  pieces 
and  consume  all  these  kingdoms."  This  language 
evidently  sets  forth  the  aggressive  character  of  the 
kingdom   of  God.     Jesus    saj- s :    "I  came   not  to 

*  The  travelling  expenses  of  the  delegates  to  the  General  Confer- 
ence of  the  Mcth.  Epis.  Church,  at  Chicago,  in  May,  1868,  were  above 
fourteen  thousand  dollars,  ^jr»/rf  by  the  2^cople,  who  had  no  other  share 
in  the  legklutinfj  of  that  hodi/ ;  to  say  nothing  about  the  travelling  ex- 
penses homeward,  entertainment,  stationery,  jiriuting,  the  time  con- 
sumed, and  the  talent  employed,  etc.  Sec  reports  of  their  session  in 
the  daily  papers  of  that  time. 


152  INDEPENDENT    OR    DEMOCRATIC 

send  peace  on  earth,  but  a  sword."  As  individuals, 
the  members  have  a  personal  combat,  or  warfare, 
with  sin,  temptation,  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the 
devil.  As  a  body,  it  is  earth's  great  reformer,  wag- 
ing a  perpetual  warfare  against  sin  and  error,  not 
only  by  direct  attack,  but  by  holding  up  righteous- 
ness, as  antagonistic  to  unrighteousness,  and  truth, 
as  antagonistic  to  error.  But  this  stone  is  "to 
fill  the'  whole  earth."  This  Brotherhood  is  pro- 
gressive. By  being  aggressive,  it  becomes  pro- 
gressive. By  attacking  the  strongholds  of  the  en- 
emy, they  are  overthrown.  In  conquering  the  vast 
army  in  opposition,  it  is  subjected  to  Christ.  To 
carry  the  thought  further,  God  never  designed  that 
his  people  should  all  live  in  one  place  on  earth.  In 
Jerusalem,  in  the  midst  of  their  successes,  when 
a  delightful  harmony  prevailed  among  themselves, 
there  was  a  leaven  at  work  against  them  ;  persecu- 
tion arose,  Stephen  was  slain,  and  the  church  was 
scattered.  But  the  wrath  of  man,  in  this,  was  made 
to  praise  God,  and  advance  his  kingdom.  "  They 
went  everywhere  preaching  the  Gospel,"  There 
are  other  ways  in  which  God's  designs  are  promoted. 
The  division  of  churches,  the  division  of  families, 
the  attractions  and  necessities  of  business,  capital 
seeking  investments  ;  these  are  causes  and  influ- 
ences constantly  at  work.  Then  there  are  those 
with  full  hearts,  full  of  love  to  Jesus  and  the  perish- 
ing multitudes  of  earth,  whose  zeal  is  witnessed  in 
their  pioneer  efforts  for  the  salvation  of  our  sin- 
ruined  race;  who,  with  the  approbation  of  their 
brethren,    go  forth    and  attack  the  enemy   in   his 


Cin'RCH    GOVERNMENT.  153 

strongholds  ;  who  go  to  the  destitute  and  perishing 
of  earth,  with  the  glad  message  of  peace  and  recon- 
ciliation. 

A  church  is  local  for  local  influence  ;  so  a  "  Chris- 
tian's duty  lies  within  a  series  of  concentrate  cir- 
cles." First,  himself,  his  own  eternal  interests; 
then  his  relatives,  his  own  home  circle,  till  the 
entire  range  of  his  influence  is  filled  with  devout, 
earnest  eff'orts,  for  the  salvation  of  those  who  are 
within  its  power.  The  King  and  Head  having 
promised  to  be  with  and  bless  his  subjects  in  all 
their  efforts  to  advance  his  kingdom,  put  forth  in 
accordance  with  his  law,  they  must  ultimatel}^  have 
a  glorious  victory.  This  stone  is  thus  breaking 
in  pieces  and  destroying  all  adverse  powers ;  is 
becoming  a  great  mountain,  and  is  filling  the  whole 
earth.  As  this  is  in  accordance  with  the  Word  and 
Promise  of  (iod,  every  place  and  neighborhood,  on 
the  face  of  the  inhabited  earth,  will  ultimately  have 
its  local  church;  every  other  kingdom  destroyed — 
which  must  include  "the  children  of  the  wicked 
one,"  "who  shall  suffer  justice,  eternal  destruction 
from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory 
of  his  power,"*  all  others  will  be  joined  in  eternal 
fellowship  with  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ — the  Univer- 
sal Brotherhood  will  be  complete. 

The  great  Baptist  denomination,  now  so  nu- 
merous, and  increasing  so  rapidly  in  this  free  land, 
and  in  other  lands,  are  the  only  people  that  ap- 

■-■  Revised  Vcrsiion  of  New  Testament,  American  Bible  Union,  2 
Thess.  i.  9. 


154  INDEPENDENT   OR   DEMOCRATIC 

prtach,  in  their  order,  the  inspired  description  of 
this  great  Brotherhood.  The  great  and  good  Nean- 
der,  of  Berlin,  Germany,  recognizing  them  as  re- 
alizing the  fulfilment  of  the  last  promise  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ* — because  they  alone  fulfil  the 
conditions  on  which  it  is  based — said:  "There  is 
A  FUTURE  FOR  YOU  BAPTISTS."  Look  out  into  that 
future,  ye  faithful  Baptists :  it  may  not  be  far  : 
crowding  events  of  the  present  time  indicate,  fore- 
shadow, important  changes  in  the  moral  condition 
of  our  race.  There,  in  the  completion  of  this  great 
Universal  Brotherhood,  you  see  your  glorious  des- 
tiny.    It  is  your  glorious  future. 

Dear  reader,  we  may  ponder  well  this  word  of 
prophecy.  We  may  expect  its  fulfilment.  TVe  may 
not  understand  it  all,  and  may  die  before  its  accom- 
plishment, before  the  Brotherhood  becomes  univer- 
sal ;  but  let  us  be  sure  that  we  are  in  union  and  sym- 
pathy with  its  Head,  sharing  its  privileges,  and  ac- 
tively co-operating  with  its  membership,  each  and 
all,  doing  what  we  can  to  promote  its  universal  ex- 
tension. Then  the  King  will  say :  "  Well  done, 
good  and  faithful  servant ;  enter  into  the  joy  of  thy 
Lord." 

Weigh  well  these  closing  words:  '^Thou  art  the 
Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God ;"...."  and 
upon  this  rock  I  will  build  my  church;  and  the 
gates  of  the  underworld  shall  not  prevail  against  it." 

"  All  power  was  given  to  me  in  heaven  and  on 
earth.    Go  ye,  therefore,  and  disciple  all  the  nations, 

*  Matt,  xxviii.  19,  20. 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  155 

immersing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of 
the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit;  teaching  them  to 
observe  all  things  whatever  I  commanded  you. 
And  behold,  I  am  with  you  abvay,  unto  the  end  of 
the  world."* 

The  churches  of  the  nineteenth  century  must  be 
like  the  churches  of  the  first  century,  in  order  to 
fulfil  the  mission  appointed  them  by  their  Lord 
and  Master. 

AMEN. 


*  Math.  xvi.  15,  18 ;  xxviii.  18,  19.      Revised  version,  Am.  Bib. 
Union. 


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